Lily
by Skitzoeinhoven
Summary: Ever since their encounter with Elsa, Rumplestiltskin has been having the same dream each night. A dream that involves the price in which Belle must pay. What does the dream mean? Was it a premonition? Mostly Rumbelle centric, though it also features interactions of the other main characters as well. My story idea on what I think (or would like to see) will happen in S4 of OUAT.
1. The Lily Dream

_His vision is blurry. He looks above him to see… water glimmer? The sun is trying to break through and reach to him. A green stem emerges from the murky shallow depths, fighting against the darkness desperate for sunlight. The stem breaches the water's surface, immediately unfolding and bursting forth into a beautiful lily. The white flower resting upon its newly formed green pad, nestled comfortably on the placid waters. _

_Belle, basking in a heavenly glow, stares at the lovely creation. She looks at Rumplestiltskin who is sitting next to her at the edge of the pond and says to him with a smile, "I have something wonderful to tell you…" Rumple mouths his amorous words, but nothing comes out. He looks at Belle out of concern, but she is unmoved and continues talking, "I know about Zelena. I know that you're lying to me about the dagger…" She reaches for Rumple's hand and holds it sincerely. Rumple looks down at Belle's hand grasping gently and lovingly with his own. He looks back up to Belle's face to see it contorted to that of disappointment? Sadness? Anguish? She places his hand delicately and intentionally over her heart, "Now I must pay the price…"_

_Belle fades away and disappears entirely leaving nothing but the lily flower cradled in his hands where her heart should have been._

… … … …

Rumple wakes up alone and in his bed.

He wonders, "_Was it his foresight? Was it a dream? A nightmare? Could a dream, whether it be good or bad, repeat itself like that? And why did these dreams start when Elsa came into Storybrooke? Is there a correlation?"_

Rumple's heart is burdened with worry.

* * *

_**I dedicate this story to Montreat11**_

_**For helping me survive this summer, Real Life and for inspiring me to write about hope once again.**_


	2. Wedding Night

"…and sometimes, the best tea cup is chipped."

Rumplestiltskin and Belle looked at each other with tears in their eyes. This was a long time coming. All those years of separation, all those years of constantly finding each other, all worth it. The world faded away as their lips gravitated naturally towards each other. The joy became so overwhelming it escaped through the form of tears out of the corners of their eyes. Their eyes closed as they savored this moment and tasted each other's kiss.

Time could have stood still. Did minutes pass? Hours? Possibly, but who was counting? Only the most significant and privileged of persons witnessed this precious and intimate moment: Dr. Archibald Hopper and Maurice French, Belle's father. A soft gentle breeze rustled the leaves on the branches as if nature was approving, applauding this pulchritudinous proclamation. Blood rushing towards their ears drowned the muffled claps being emitted by Dr. Hopper and Mr. French celebrating this incredible union.

Belle slowly and bravely opened her eyes, taking in one of his last breaths before allowing their lips to part. The sight she saw, like the first time they kissed, was something to marvel. He was beautiful. They gazed lovingly at each other, reflecting similar smiles to one another. Another tear managed to fall out of the corner of his eye. Belle caressed his face in her hands and lifted the tear delicately away. His smile only seemed to grow bigger as he leaned forward to plant another kiss on top of the tear drop that resided on her face. They fell into each other's embrace; her arms wrapped around his neck and his arms around her torso. Their faces rested cheekbone to cheekbone like interlocking puzzle pieces and he breathed in her intoxicatingly addictive scent. He whispered into her ear, "My darling Belle, thank you for loving me and making me the happiest man tonight."

"Rumplestiltskin, my dear husband," Belle replied hugging Rumple, "I will love you till' my last breath."

Both Belle and Rumple pulled away from each other for a brief moment, and Rumple turned to the witnesses recognizing the presence. "Gentlemen," addressed Rumple to Dr. Hopper and Mr. French, "thank you for being here. As you know, I'm usually a man who has a way with words, but right now… I'm…," he looks over at a beaming Belle, "I am rendered speechless."

"Well, I think that's a first for all of us," remarked Maurice French.

"You guys go on and head on out. We'll take care of everything here," replied a smiling Dr. Hopper.

"Father… Archie… thank you," said Belle wrapping her arm around Rumple's arm and intertwining her fingers with his. Hopper smiled and nodded towards Belle. Mr. French pressed his fingers towards his lips and blew his daughter a loving kiss.

Both Belle and Rumplestiltskin turned away from the candle lit well and headed toward his car, hand in hand as husband and wife. They walked through the darkened woods enjoying each other's blissful silence. The sound of the twigs and leaves crackling beneath their feet sobered the reality of their marriage. It wasn't a dream. They are married. She glimpsed up from her feet to look at Rumple only to discover that he had been gazing at her this entire time. She smirked while a blush formed within her cheeks.

They finally approached his car. With his spare hand he quickly pulled out his keys and unlocked the driver's side door in one fluid motion. With the hand still holding Belle's he drew it up to his lips and kissed it tenderly, never losing eye contact with her. He then bowed to her, gesturing with his free hand to enter the car first. Belle smiled as she harkened back to a memory of him bowing and giving her a rose. "_Always the gentleman_," she thought grinning at his chivalry. "Why thank you," she said with an informal curtsy. She got into his car and scooted herself all the way to the passenger seating allowing him space to comfortably enter.

He took the keys and placed them in the ignition. He looked like he was about to turn the keys, when he paused mid-movement and sat back in his seat. With one hand on the steering wheel and the other resting in the space between the two, he gave an elated sigh and closed his eyes. "My wife… you are my wife… Belle is my wife…" was all he said that broke the silence. He said it out of disbelief, as if saying it out-loud gave power and validation to the statements themselves. He opened his eyes and looked over at Belle"…I like the sound of that."

"Me too," said Belle as she scooted closer to him in his seat sandwiching his hand between her own two resting on her knee. "Home?"

He smiled back at her, "Home."

The car ride home was only about a fifteen minute drive, but it seemed much longer than that. Throughout the travel they would catch each other glancing at one another. With one hand on the wheel and the other in Belle's, he looked over at Belle. During a moment when she wasn't looking, he stole a glance at her elegant porcelain skin. The way she was dressed, so formal and conservative, invoked a kind of excitement for him; like a present waiting to be unwrapped, a present that was meant just for him. However, he knew better. He wasn't ever going to do something tonight that she was uncomfortable with. He would wait forever for her. But still, the thoughts lingered to kissing her everywhere! The challenge would be to kiss every inch of her skin. He enjoyed the idea of that personal challenge, but if, and only if she would have him.

They finally made it to the house. Before he was able to turn off the car, Belle quickly escaped through the passenger side door and practically ran to him meeting him on the other side. She did not want to spend a single moment without him by her side. In their history, anything can happen in a single moment. Nothing was going to separate them tonight. She refused. Selfishness was never really a quality that Belle was known for, but tonight, he was hers and she was his. Tonight she conceded to this selfish moment.

"Excited are we?" he asked, catching on to her enthusiasm. He bent down and they shared a slow kiss.

"I'm just… happy. I'm happy, because for once, the universe isn't demanding or beckoning for your attention and…" She pulls gently at his collar and she steals another kiss from him, "I get you all to myself tonight."

"Just being with my beautiful wife," he says giving her a quick return kiss, "on this gorgeous night is the only obligation I have."

"Indeed."

They quickly climbed the steps and he unlocked the door. When he pushed the door open Rumplestiltskin stopped abruptly. "What is it?" she asked Rumple.

"There's a tradition in this land. If the bride trips upon entering the house's threshold, it is said to be bad luck. So…" Rumple swiftly and elegantly scooped Belle up and held her in his arms. Belle gave off a surprised giggle in response to such a forward and unexpected gesture. He lingered at the front door step and looked into her eyes. "You know, the last time I held you in my arms like this you fell from the ladder trying to take those damn curtains down in my castle, and I…" he paused and smiled at her, recalling the moment in his mind, "well… I knew from that moment, that it was me who kept falling in love with you."

"Well, uh, for starters I didn't know you were superstitious. And also, your wife would like to eventually make it inside the house and continue enjoying the company of her husband."

"Oh!" and on that note, he gladly stepped through the house's threshold, gracefully and without a stutter in step. He eased her down onto her own two feet and the first thing she did was kiss his soft wanting lips. She walked slowly towards the stairs as he closed the front door and locked it.

"Wait," he called out to her. She turned around and saw his fingers fidget where he stood. He appeared nervous about something. "I…," he cleared his throat before continuing, "I have a surprise… for us."

Curious, she walked back over to him who offered his arm as an escort. They way he was facing indicated to her that the surprise was just in the darkened living room. She beamed with anticipation as they both turned and entered the dark room. When the lights turned on they were no longer in the living room of his Victorian house. She gasped in surprise and looked down to discover that she was no longer in the same wedding dress that she was in moments before. She was wearing the same beautiful gold dress that they had met in. When she looked back over at him, he was dressed in a handsome formal outfit, kin to the style from their land; a dapper blue coat complete with tails, a ruffled white shirt that covered his chest, a matching gold cummerbund, raven black pants tucked into shin-high black leather boots. He looked at her amorously and bowed, gesturing for her to take his hand.

Belle, completely overwhelmed by the romantic gesture, took his hand. She was so awestruck by the gorgeous glittering ballroom she almost forgot to breathe. He led her to the center of the room, walking side by side. They stopped and turned, facing each other. He never once broke his loving gaze toward her. In silence, he lifted her right hand placing it in the palm of his, and then proceeded to place the other gently on her waist. She instinctively placed her left hand on his waist and they moved slowly on the dance floor. "This… You… We're…" Belle stammered, practically speechless.

"We…," he said looking around him, "are missing music." He moved his hand momentarily away from her waist and flicked the air using his fingers. Once they started moving, she could hear string instruments play from out of nowhere playing a sweet and joyful melody. The beat of the tune, seemed to mimic the movements of their steps. She looked all around her in disbelief as they moved across the dance floor. She heard the clicking of her shoes knock against the hard floors with each step. It almost felt real. She looked up and noticed the mural ceiling, but it was too high above her to really appreciate any of the details. The giant chandelier blanketed and filled the room with a brilliant light.

He continued holding on to her one hand as she spun out, the ruffles of her dress flowing gently around her legs. She slowly and gently spun back into his chest with her back towards him. He cradled her using his arms that were wrapped around her. He bent down gently kissing a portion of her exposed neck. "Rumple…" she began, "this is amazing. It's… it's… overwhelming."

"It's too much."

"No… Well…" She conflicted. She wanted to say 'yes' but didn't want to ruin the moment.

"It's quite alright, you don't have to explain." He snapped his fingers and the lights from the chandelier went out instantaneously. He left her side leaving her in the dark for only a moment. He turned the light switch back on and they were in their living room again. She looked over at him by the wall and noticed that they were both back in their wedding attire. "Rumple that was quite the surprise, but… what was that all about?"

He stood nervously, staring down at the floor almost ashamed, "I never forgot that you were a princess… before you met me. I just wanted to give you, if only for a moment, something that was worthy of you."

"Rumple… you didn't have to do that. You are worthy of me. Here…" she walked over to the record player that was sitting in the corner and turned it on. She placed the needle down on the wax record and it began playing Franz Liszt's Liebestraum. She took his hand again. He smirked, taking her hand and they began dancing again. He playfully gave her another twirl and she spun around in place, she let out a playful giggle. They held each other's hands and she looked up at him. "You know… I forgot that life, being a princess. All I need now… is what I have here in my hands."

He grinned, silently listening. Her head rested on his shoulder and they began rocking back and forth. The song began to fade away and it allowed Belle to reflect on her past, "I was done with that lifestyle the moment I stepped foot in your castle. And… I was relieved because… you saved me from a loveless marriage."

"We saved each other," he concurred, smiling at her. They stood there side stepping to their own rhythm listening to the white noise of the record, when the clock on the mantle over the fireplace began to chime. Belle counted the chimes, "It's midnight."

"Ah yes," Rumple sighed, "the bewitching hour."

"It's getting late. I suppose it's time for bed."

She pulled away from him and he stood there realizing what was traditionally going to happen next. He hadn't thought this all the way through. He panicked. As eager as he was about the notion earlier, thinking about it was one thing, actually doing it was another. He found himself incredibly nervous. His heart began to race. "You know, I uh, I'm going to be honest… I'm a bit nervous."

She had only climbed two steps before turning to look at him. She had plucked the pins within her white hat that had kept her hair intact and removed it, allowing her thick wavy brown locks to fall upon her shoulders giving a little bounce. "What's there to be nervous about? We're just going to bed."

"It's just… that, it's been a long time since… uh," he rambled nervously.

"You're not going to hurt me Rumple," she said with confident finesse, "I trust you," relieving him of some of his anxieties. He looked up and gawked at her, mesmerized by her beauty. Her entrancing blue eyes begged him to come closer. For a moment, he couldn't believe she was his wife. He stood there paralyzed. When she saw that he wasn't moving, she looked at him playfully biting a corner of her bottom lip, "Aren't you coming?"

He scoffed at himself for acting foolish. She was his and he was hers. He ran up to her on that second step and kissed her passionately. Their bodies swayed until his back was against the wall opposite of the stairway banister. The sound of their bodies making impact caused them to break apart and laugh. Belle continued going up the stairs keeping one eye on him while casually removing her jacket. He took her cue and started removing layers of clothing, setting the pieces along the stair railing.

She entered their bedroom first and sat on the edge of their bed, slipping off her shoes. She then proceeded to take off her stockings when he stopped her saying, "Allow me." He got down on one knee and caressed her leg. With one hand he hoisted her leg and with the other he reached all the way up the stocking slowly pulling down the soft cloth. He pulled the stocking down a couple of inches at a time and with every gap of exposed skin he kissed her leg.

He was the artist working on her other leg now, carefully placing each rose petal kiss deliberately. He moved along the limb painting sweet intricate designs with nothing but his lips. He kissed all the way down to her foot when he looked up and saw her smile, blushing. She reached out for his face and he gladly came to her level and their lips met. A flurry of fingers and rushing hands moved over each others' bodies. They helped each other unbutton, unzip, and untie; liberating themselves of the clothing that prevented them from getting closer and tossed it carelessly to the floor. Her fingers combed through his hair and his hands moved up and down supporting her backside. With eyes closed, they intuitively fell back on the bed and onto one another. They swam beneath the ocean of covers and began making the sheets undulate to their movements.

What they made were gorgeous, poignant, tender, intentional, wanting sounds. No trace of skin untouched by hands or lips. They fell over each other again and again with intermittent sighs and gasps. The lustful catalyst that burned within kept them perpetually wanting more of each other. Deeper and deeper. More and more. They felt complete. They felt whole. A single unit moving together as one. There were no thoughts, or words, just them focusing on each other. Here and now.

With a sublime release, they finished by kissing each other tenderly on the lips. Rumple sat up and pulled Belle close and hugged her, laying his head on her chest. He could hear her heart racing and to him, was the most virtuous sound only he was privy to listen to. She kissed the top of his head and laid her head on top of his. She could feel the heat and perspiration give rise from off his head. He closed his eyes and with exhausted breath whispered, "I love you" earnestly into her body, hugging her tighter. At the sound of his words, she cried silently to herself. The tears weren't of sadness, but of overwhelming happiness. Her body was expressing what words couldn't of all the feelings and emotions she was experiencing at that very moment; all too many to physically and mentally comprehend. "I love you too," she managed to whisper back sincerely. After a few moments of catching their breath and inhaling one another, they both laid back down cuddling next to each other.

They nestled into each other finding a comfortable position. He laid on his back with an arm draped around her shoulders. She wrapped her arm around his torso and had one leg curled intimately around his, resting her head on the square of his shoulder. Both had closed their eyes, but none were really sleeping, simply resting. She could hear the cadence of air moving in and out of his lungs and it gave solace to her soul. He rubbed her exposed arm and then his fingers trickled down to her backside drawing invisible circles.

She thought of how far they've come. She reflected upon how much Rumple had changed since they first met. Was it because of her? Did he do it for her? She knew this handsome good-hearted person was there all along. She had caught him in glimpses during her stay at his castle. She knew that he used his beastly nature to cope, to protect himself and survive. However, she made him stronger. He even said so himself. There was no need for the beast to come out. As long as she was by his side constantly giving him the strength, he would have the courage to make good decisions. While others saw a dastardly magical creature, she saw a man. She saw a man with a curse destined to experience many horrific things for eternity. She saw a man who tried to make the most of an awful situation. Wouldn't any hopeful person do the same? His curse was a burden that no man should ever have to bear. If all we are, are the culmination of our experiences, then the summation of his must have been most unfavorable. So much so, that the coping mechanism he used for enduring all those countless years was invoking and reverting back to his inner child. Without his son to remind him of his humanity, it's no wonder that this man twisted and transformed into the beast she knew when they first met. His humanity was what made him beautiful. Not magic. She was his mirror now, reflecting his humanity; a reason to value life and that life is worth living. And it was in that same reason that transcended to hope. Hope to make the most of any given situation. He was the perfect symbol of hope in her mind and that was why she was so proud of him. Despite any adversity, as long as she had him, she had hope. And that was all she needed.

"What are you thinking?" he asked, his interjection breaking up her epiphany. "Hmmm?"

"What?" acting coy.

"I can almost feel you think," he said awaiting her reply. He started playing with her hair, her head still resting on his shoulder. She lifted her head briefly to see that his eyes were still closed and rested her head back down on his shoulder. She smiled mischievously and replied, "You caught me. I was thinking."

"Mmhmm, I gathered that much."

"You know, I uh, I'm really glad you decided against wearing your leather boots," she said playfully, avoiding the question. He laughed at himself at the thought.

"Yes well, why take time removing clothes off myself when I could be using that time taking clothes off of you?" he said bending down to kiss the top of her head.

She giggled at his reply. There was no need to answer what he already knew. She turned over and hovered over his body. He opened his eyes at her movements. Noticing that she was coming face to face to him he smiled at her lovingly. She looked into his eyes, the ends of her ruffled hair dangling over his bare chest. She stared at him amorously before saying the only thing that needed to be said, "I was only thinking… of how much I love you."

She lowered her face and kissed him gently. Their lips parted for a moment and he replied, "Well guess what?" he asked as they continued kissing fervently even while turning over and Belle was on her back and he was on top of her. "Mmm?" she asked inquisitively. He lifted his head, his face only inches away from hers, "I was thinking the same thing too."

He stole one more kiss from Belle as the first snowflake softly hit outside the window pane.

* * *

**Hello my beautiful fellow Rumbeller/Oncers. Please review! However, if you feel like giving me a roasting just be gentle, this is my first time writing romance. I want to hear what you think.  
**


	3. Good Morning

Sunlight broke through the blinds peeking into the darkened bedroom. The room was just a bit cooler than the night before, but somehow they newly-weds found themselves cocooned and insulated in a couple of layers of thick blankets. Belle woke, only to be in the best place in the world. She was resting on her side with her back towards him. With his arm resting wrapped around her torso, his body laid on its side parallel to hers. She could feel the warmth of his pulsating breath cascade down her neck. She was afraid to move. To move would mean she was awake and that meant paying due diligence to the day that lay ahead. So she breathed in heavily and exhaled softly. Time was fleeting and the moments were coming and going but this moment, right now, she was going to revel in just a bit longer.

"Good morning my beautiful wife," said Rumplestiltskin. He was always a light sleeper, constantly sensitive to his environment.

"How is it that you always know when I'm awake?" she asked in a low groggy voice.

"I told you," he said squeezing gently her at the volition of his words, "I can tell when you're thinking."

She grinned at his uncanny ability and kissed his arm. She inhaled the scent of him, before responding after a moment, "Can we just stay like this… for like, forever?"

"We could, but I have an obligation this morning."

"Really? What could possibly be more important than staying in?" she asked grumpily. She turned over on her back and looked at him frustratingly. He sat up, freeing himself of the warmth of the covers, and curled himself over to kiss his wife lovingly on the cheek. "I love you Belle," he said settling and resuming his cuddling position behind Belle, "There… obligation fulfilled."

They laid there in blissful silence when the clock in his bedroom chimed minutes later. He gave a weighted sigh and he hesitated speaking his thoughts. Now it was Belle who felt his muscles tense, leading her to conclude that he was thinking of something. "Now what are _you _thinking?"

"I was thinking…," he began unsure of her reaction, "that I have a surprise for you after all, for our honeymoon."

"Rumple, you know I'm happy simply spending our honeymoon here at the house."

"I know, but I think a change of scene and putting distance between ourselves and the town would be a better way to spend our honeymoon." In his mind, the more distance between them and the town, the less likely they were of getting involved in any more unnecessary drama, and of prying eyes into their lives. One thing that they both valued and had in common, and that was their privacy. Belle saw the merit of his suggestion and became intrigued. As long as it was with him, she didn't care where they would go.

"Alright, I'm interested. Where are we going?"

"Well, if we prepare now, we can get there later this afternoon and…" his thought trailed off. The coolness of the air distracted him, leaving his thought incomplete. The arm that was lying around Belle grew goosebumps and he shuddered "… is it me, or is it colder in here?"

She had only noticed the temperature drop when he mentioned it and quivered herself. He braved getting out of the warmth of their bed and quickly grabbed for his robe. He slipped into some slippers and walked towards the windows, separating some blinds to peek out the window. He let out a baffled, "Huh?"

"What is it?" inquired Belle as she sat up gathering the residual blankets around her to trap the warmth.

"It must have snowed last night."

"Has it ever snowed in Storybrooke?"

Rumple scoffed, "In all my years of living here, I cannot recollect a moment of inclement weather."

"Strange."

"Indeed. No matter…" he said turning around to face her. He walked around to her side of the bed and sat next to her. "It just means that we have to bring the proper attire for where we're going."

"You're not going to tell me, are you?"

"Now what's the point of a surprise if I tell you?" he said gleefully, giving her a quick peck on the cheek. "I have to go into town and grab groceries for our venture. But if you pack for us, by the time I get back with the provisions we'll be that much closer to our destination and that much sooner to revealing the surprise."

"Sounds like a deal." She replied playfully, kissing the dealmaker.

* * *

**Another short chapter folks. In the words of Samuel L. Jackson from Jurassic Park, "Hold on to your butts." The next few chapters coming up are pretty lengthy because they take place in Fairy Tale Land, so it might be a while before we get any more Rumbelle moments. I hope you'll understand.  
**


	4. A Premature Engagement

…_**Back in Fairy Tale Land…**_

"Elsa? Elsa are you in there?" asked Anna knocking on Elsa's bedroom door. "Can I come in? I've got exciting news!"

Elsa was looking out her bedroom window onto the courtyard of guests coming in for her coronation. Anna caught her deep in thought. At the sound of her sister's knock she frantically slipped the fitted gloves back on her hands. "_Conceal, don't feel. Conceal, don't feel._" Elsa thought nervously to herself. She can't let her sister know. She can't harm her like she almost did years ago. No one can help her. No place would accept her. Not even her sister. "Hold on Anna!"

Elsa managed to fit her gloves back on just when Anna callously entered the room. "Elsa," Anna exclaimed, elated and excited at the same time, "I'm in love."

"Really? With who?" Elsa asked skeptically. Bombarded by the randomness of the news.

"Hans."

"Hans…" she paused, looking over at Anna who was staring off into the canopy of her bed, obviously on cloud nine. She looked at Anna incredulously, "…does this Hans have a last name?"

"Hmm I never asked, but he's a prince with a title and everything!" Anna said obliviously tapping knocking her toes excitedly on Elsa's bed. Elsa, hating to ruin her excitement, hesitantly said,"Anna… I-"

"His name is Prince Hans from the Southern Isles," she said cutting Elsa mid sentence, "and he is absolutely handsome. You'll love him too, I just know it!" Anna leaps up from the bed with a spring in her step and makes a grandiose exit toward the door.

"He's coming to the coronation, you can meet him then. And oh,…" said Anna holding onto the door before leaving, "I think you should go with the black and green dress for the ceremony. It's very flattering and appropriate. Don't worry. Not only will you look great, you'll be great. You'll make a fine Queen. I'm so excited for you. See you soon?"

"Mmhmm…" nodded Elsa in concurrence. Anna left in such a hurry that the door was left slightly ajar. Elsa turned facing the window again. She looked down and meticulously took off her right glove. Worry and nervousness consumed her. With her right hand exposed, she exhaled releasing the tension and anxiety with a small snow flurry in her bedroom, freezing the window and the entire wall that encompassed it. She felt alone, unknowingly being witnessed through the cracked door…

… …

A hooded figure entered the sordid pub. He looked around searching for a particular individual. He strode through the room casually and gracefully, trying not to look conspicuous.

"If you're trying to not be noticed, you're doing it quite poorly!" shouted Rumplestiltskin from across pub. The hooded figure looked up toward the direction of the sound.

"How could you tell?" said the handsome individual pulling down his hood looking at Rumplestiltskin curiously.

"Only a prince would have the proper upbringing to stride elegantly through a room like you just did, and with such grace I might add. Am I right, Prince Hans?"

"What can I say? Old habits die hard. " Hans sat down at the vacant seat in front of Rumplestiltskin. He paused, suddenly realizing that the golden creature before him knew his name. "How do you know who I am?"

"Well, I _am_ a trafficker of names. Call it a gift. What do you want?" demanded Rumplestiltskin, cutting straight to the point and taking one last swig of his beverage.

"So much for pleasantries," Hans remarked to himself, "I have heard that you are quite the remarkable enchanter; a wielder of magic. Making the impossible possible."

"If you are here to flatter me, I'm not in the receptive mood," said Rumple staring into the bottom of an empty mug.

"Ah, yes. You recently lost your son. I understand your bitterness. However, if you are still looking for your son, I may know of a sorceress that could help you in your situation. In fact, what I'm bartering for may work out in both our favors."

"What are you suggesting?" asked Rumplestiltskin, now intrigued.

"Well, as you know, I am the last of eight sons heir to the crown of my kingdom. The likelihood of my being king is very slim. I am currently engaged to a princess who is next in line to be Queen for her kingdom. However, her older sister's coronation is tonight."

"Well it sounds like you got engaged to the wrong princess."

"Yes, well… Anna, my fiancé, was so desperate for attention she fell in love with me quite quickly. Not too many princesses fall into your lap every day, at least, not as easily as this one."

"Go on."

"Her sister, Elsa, has an unfortunate disposition. If she were to be _tutored_," Hans emphasized the word 'tutored' by physically gesturing air quotes, "perhaps you could learn what you can of her magic and do… well, whatever it is you want with her, but get rid of her."

Rumplestiltskin pondered over the Prince's suggestion. The Prince, seeing that Rumple wasn't completely convinced in taking his offer, continued, "Look, you're a man who likes power. I can see it. I know it because that's what I want as well. The power I strive for is in the form of royal politics. Yours comes in the form of magic. When two people want something the other has, a deal can always be struck."

The last phrase struck a chord with Rumplestiltskin. With Rumplestiltskin and his new abilities of foresight, the phrase seemed like a clandestine echo from his future. It rang into his inner core as if he knew from that moment on, he would be destined to use that phrase in the future. He became rather amused by the notion and gave a childlike giggle over the irony. Rumple replied with a sinister smile, "If you can get her outside her kingdom, I can take it from there."

And the deal was struck.

… …

Kristoff was in the stables going through his daily chores. First, sweeping. Next, feeding then brushing. Kristoff moved over into Sven's stable brushing his coat thoroughly when he could hear a loud scuffle drawing nearer to the stables.

"Kristoff! Kristoff!" shouted an excited Anna before entering the stables where Kristoff was working.

"Princess!" exclaimed Kristoff in a hushed tone, "How many times have do I have to explain to you the decorum of entering the stables. You'll spook the horses."

"For the bajillionth time, don't call me Princess. We've known each other since we were kids, I think it's safe to address each other informally."

"Yes, well… easy for you to say… _Princess_. The repercussions for your socializing beneath your class are far less dire than my own."

Anna, still catching her breath from her excitement, leaned up against a nearby post supporting the weight of her body. "Kristoff, I'm in love! I'm engaged!"

"What? Who? When?" Kristoff paused his tedious brushing and turned to face Anna.

"Oh please, you're no better than Elsa," said Anna with exasperation.

"Look, I want to be supportive, but… this is the first time I'm hearing of this… gentleman. Did you just meet him today?"

"Yes! His name is Prince Hans of the Southern Isles and we're in love! I just know it!"

"Well, excuse me for being frank, but you can't marry a man you just met."

"Well I'm not marrying him today, silly. Today is my sister's coronation. And besides, it's true love!"

"Mmhmm," replied Kristoff disapprovingly, resuming his brushing.

"What is it? Why are you acting this way?" asked Anna in a frustrated tone awaiting his reply. When he didn't respond right away, she replied for him, "Oh you are so honest with me before, but now you have nothing to say?"

"I… I just think you're being naïve. For once, I agree with your sister."

Anna, now upset and disappointed, decided to change the conversation since she wasn't going to get the approval she so desired from him, "Look, I'm going to tell Elsa of my engagement tonight. I would really like it if you could come and support me. It would be nice to see a familiar face."

"Thanks, but no thanks. I'm not much for the pomp and circumstance. I've got the horses to tend to," he said bitterly.

"Oh," she said in surprised disappointment. She honestly thought that he'd be inclined to dress and dine with the upperclass. "Well… I'm sorry to have bothered you."

"_Another shut door to the face_" she thought. She turned away and sulked as she walked back to the castle. He kept his back to her as she left the stables. He stopped brushing Sven and walked away from the horse. He tossed the brush on the ground and walked dejectedly over to an empty bucket. Head facing the ground he stared at the bucket, his feelings of anger stewing within him. He then became so angry that he took his frustration out on the bucket and kicked it, causing the object to fly all the way towards the other end of the stables. All the horses jumped and a few whinnied at the sudden movement.

He wondered, "_Why am I mad? Why do I feel hurt? Am I jealous? Why would I feel jealous?_"

He slumped down onto a bench that was against the wall, defeated. What could he possibly offer to a Princess that she didn't already have? He loved her. She was way above his class, and he knew it. It would never be possible to have a relationship with her. He should just let her go. It was something he understood he could never get. Still, he felt blessed to have her as a friend. If it wasn't for her generosity taking him in as an abandoned child, he would never have had food in his belly or a roof over his head. He wouldn't have survived as long as he had. Even if the feelings weren't reciprocated, he would still be thankful for her constant generosity. The truth was, he needed her friendship as much as she needed his. He took in a slow relaxed breath before picking himself off of the floor and walked calmly back over to Sven. He spoke gingerly to the horse, "Hey, Sven. Easy, easy. I'm sorry about my anger earlier. It was uncalled for."

The horse looked back at him as if understanding and accepting his apology.

"Thanks Sven. I can always count on you. Hey, wanna go for a ride?"

The horse seemed to nod in excitement, and Kristoff smiled at the small connection. He reached for the saddle that was nearby and started lacing Sven for an evening ride.

… …

The ceremony went off without a hitch. Hundreds and hundreds of people somehow managed to fit inside such a confined church. Elsa stood at the altar facing the sea of her people's faces, all come to witness such a grand spectacle. Elsa was beyond nervous and it was evident by how pale and sickly her face appeared. But still, she was able to carry on through the coronation ritual. She gulped and looked over at Anna's happy supportive face in the front pew, gesturing a look that suggested _'Go on! You can do this I know you can!'_

Elsa looked down at the priest signaling her cue to remove her gloves and hold the symbolic items. She looked down at her hands and took an anxious breath before quickly removing her gloves and setting them on the pillow a servant next to her offered. She held the sacred royal items signifying her duty and loyalty to her kingdom. She could literally feel the weight of both the emblems and her kingdom in her hands. She needed to focus, now more so than ever. _Conceal, don't feel. Conceal don't feel, _she repetitively thought to herself. It was all that she could remember as child from what her parents taught her. _If only they were here_, she wished. _No, I must focus. _She needed to keep her composure because the well-being of her kingdom was at stake.

All she could hear was a drowned murmur of the priest reading through the final passages of his book continuing with the ceremony. She couldn't think of anything else holding the objects and staring blankly into the crowd. Her anxiety was about to take hold of her and the sacred items started to frost over. Before she knew it, the priest proclaimed, "Long live Queen Elsa!" A thunderous applause broke out and she quickly returned the items that were in her hands and exchanged them for the safety of her gloves. After what felt like forever, Elsa finally exhaled her anxiety away and she smiled nervously at her audience.

Queen Elsa walked as gracefully as she could down the aisle, trying desperately to not trip or make a fool of herself. The crowd stood on their feet applauding her and her new anointment. She smiled gratefully and nodded courteously to her followers in their pews as she left the church. As soon as the little bit of her train escaped the building, she quickly entered her carriage. Her royal guard opened up the doors to her carriage and she sat down immediately. Grateful for the seat, her heart pounded within her body. She briefly succumbed to her miniature anxiety attack and the sudden rush of blood to her head made her dizzy. She wanted to be alone. She wanted to find a reclusive spot as quickly as possible, but the carriage only moved so fast.

… …

Citizens of the kingdom and many invited guests poured into the ballroom. Each one wearing a fancier garment than the next. Queen Elsa sat on her throne and her sister Anna sat by her side being the welcoming receptors of compliments and flattering gifts. Time passed and the music from the orchestra cued the party members that it was time to dance. An elderly gentlemen, who only appeared to move slow from all the medals and honors that weighed on his uniform like an elaborately decorated Christmas tree, offered his hand to Anna to dance, "Queen Elsa, may I have the honor of dancing with your sister?"

Anna looked nervously back at her sister who seemed to enjoy and almost revel at the goofy moment. Anna gave Elsa a pleading look practically saying, _Elsa! Save me! _Before Elsa could let out an amused giggle, she managed to say, "Of course, dear sir. I know how much my sister loves to dance."

Before Anna could think of a creative excuse to escape, the elderly man whisked her off her feet and they danced as best they both knew how. All of his moves were overly exaggerated by the ridiculous extension of limbs, ill-timed tapping of toes and obnoxious spinning. While the gentleman may have thought they were dancing wonderfully together, the attention of the crowd was mostly drawn to his awful dancing. Anna looked over at her sister who was beside herself in laughter.

"May I cut in?" Hans asked the decorated elderly man. Affronted, the elderly man reluctantly consented letting out a low cough and handing Princess Anna off to Prince Hans. As soon as they were within safe dancing distance of the decorated gentleman Anna let out from her lips, "You're my hero."

"Hmmm," Hans chuckled to himself. "We'll see about that. Have you told your sister the good news?"

"Well," began Anna as she continued her more conservative dancing with Hans bowing and spinning occasionally at appropriate speeds, "I did tell her about you."

"But not of our engagement," he retorted, cutting her off.

"Let's tell her now," suggested Anna. She grabbed his hand and led them out of the dancing circle of the center of the ballroom. "Elsa… This is Prince Hans of the South-"

"-Southern Isles. Yes, I remember you telling me this morning."

"Your majesty," He bowed toward Queen Elsa taking her gloved hand. He never broke his gaze from the Queen as he kissed her hand lightly, as decorum would have it. The way he looked at the Elsa disturbed her slightly, like there was more than what he was leading on. Like a hawk staring at its prey before the attack. He saw the concern and skepticism break out on her face and continued, "Congratulations on your successful coronation."

"Yes, well…" she said taking her hand back. Why couldn't she shake this funny feeling about him? "If it were up to me, I would have just had an intimate ceremony."

"But don't you see? Now it _is_ up to you."

Before Elsa could make another thoughtful judgment about Hans, Anna blurted out what she had been waiting so long to tell her, "We're engaged!"

Elsa, suddenly caught off guard, became flabbergasted at the surprising news, "What?"

"We're going to get married. I was hoping that on an exciting evening such as this that I might catch you in a happy disposition and ask for your blessing."

"Anna…"

"He's got seven other brothers and they all could stay here…"

"Anna, slow down. Nobody's brothers are staying here. And no, you do not have my blessing."

"What?" Anna suddenly taken aback.

"You asked for my blessing and I'm saying, 'no'. You do not have my blessing. Now if you would please excuse me…" Queen Elsa said turning her back on Anna and heading toward an empty private room at the corner of the ballroom.

"No! Don't do this to me! You're always shutting me out! Why won't you talk to me like you used to? I thought you would understand me and support me."

Elsa paused only to listen to Anna's last statement before continuing her path to the room and closed the door.

"Allow me," said Hans looking at Anna's heartbroken face. "I won't be long," he said kissing the top of Anna's hand and followed after Elsa to her room. He approached the door and knocked, "Your majesty?"

"Go away please. I wish to not be disturbed right now."

Hans opened the door and entered the same room as Elsa, closing the door behind him. He released the knob thinking the door was shut all the way, but the door popped opened slightly. "I will marry your sister," he said confidently and with a low sinister growl.

"Excuse me?" replied Elsa insulted by his inappropriate approach to her and determined insinuation. She clutched her exposed hands by tucking them underneath her arm pits.

"I will be king and you will do your kingdom a favor by leaving it."

"And who do you think you are telling a Queen what to do in her kingdom?"

"I know your secret. I know that no one knows but me. I know that if your sister were to find out, she'll be disgusted by your hideous disposition. Not to mention, if word were to get out of your magical temperament, kingdoms would lose trust in you and become dissuaded in performing commerce with your kingdom."

"No!" cried Elsa, crumbling before Hans. Tears and worry consumed her. Hans bravely stepped closer to a fallen Elsa, standing over her in a threatening position. "Leave. Leave now and save your kingdom. You know Anna couldn't love a creature like you."

"NO!" shouted Queen Elsa and a giant pulse of snow and ice burst forth from her hands freezing Hans completely where he stood. Anna, having heard everything, now bore witness to Elsa's abilities for the first time through the cracked door that suddenly flew open from the small snowstorm. The door exposed Elsa and her abilities. The guests that were once dancing stopped in the tracks and saw what had happened.

"Witch! The Queen is a sorceress!" shouted a guest from within the ballroom.

Queen Elsa, devastated and scared, bolted from the room. The ice that had surrounded Hans began to quickly proliferate, spreading and freezing the walls of the room within seconds. With every step that Elsa took ice expanded, freezing everything that it touched, including the guests from her coronation ceremony. "ELSA!" shouted Anna calling after her sister. Anna looked down, curious as to why none of the ice affected her. Elsa was freezing their entire kingdom. Anna ran after her sister's ice trail. "Elsa!" Anna called for her again. Elsa's ability to manipulate ice and snow seemed to also help her escape at an unnaturally fast pace. Anna chased after her sister and onto the now frozen harbor. By the time she set foot onto the ice harbor she slipped and fell, defeated. Elsa was already just a black speck in the distance. She needed a horse to catch up to her. _Kristoff!_ she thought. Hopefully he had escaped the kingdom's frozen curse.

* * *

**I did my best blending the Frozen story into the Once Universe. But I think I did a half-way decent job. Just a few more of these chapters and we'll be back in Storybrooke before you know it. Hmmm, what do you think so far? Review this chapter and let me know. Thanks!**


	5. Snow Queen

Kristoff bundled up against the sudden gust of chilled wind and fastened the buttons to his jacket. He stood next to Sven by a nearby tree in the woods, simply resting from the evening ride. All he wanted was to be away from the festivities because he knew if he were to see her there with her betrothed he would surely become ill. He suddenly heard a muffled cry from beyond the woods calling his name, sounding a bit like Anna. Perhaps it was wishful thinking. At first he thought it was the wind, but he heard his name again only this time it was getting louder and more distinct.

"KRISTOFF! Kristoff! Please! Help!" cried Anna into the woods. Kristoff, positive that it wasn't a dream, ran toward the sound shouting back, "ANNA!"

"Kristoff! Oh thank the gods," she said out of breath. He reached out and caught her falling into an almost unexpected embrace. "What happened?" he asked.

"My sister! We must find my sister! She froze the kingdom. She's scared, I can help her," she tried to explain in between catching her breath.

"What?! Woah, slow down. What do you mean she froze the kingdom?"

"She has these powers to control ice and snow. I don't know where she got them, or how long she's had them, or why she's hidden them from me to begin with…"

"Anna, why did Elsa run away?" said Kristoff, interrupting her to get to the point.

Anna took a disappointed sigh before responding, "Hans threatened Elsa."

"He did?"

"He knew about her abilities and threatened to expose her, ruining our kingdom. And out of fear she froze him along with the palace and the entire kingdom."

"How come you didn't freeze?"

"I… I don't know."

"Well," he said bundling up as much cloth as possible to keep warm. He blew hot air into his cold hands and started rubbing them together, "I suppose her ice magic would explain the sudden drop in temperature. Where is she?" he said looking around at the peculiar weather.

"She ran towards the mountain top," pointing towards the neighboring mountains, "Just follow the trail of ice and snow."

"We'll take Sven and you can explain to me from the beginning what happened on the way there."

... ...

Elsa sought refuge beyond the mountain that bordered her kingdom. She stowed away her gloves and the first thing she changed was herself, creating a shimmering blue dress that seemed to sparkle in the afternoon sun. She felt renewed and rejuvenated, shedding the skin and horrors of her past. Amazed at her prowess, she managed to glide and maneuver traversing great distances using nothing but ice and snow in ways she only dreamt of. Now that she was away from people and couldn't hurt anybody, she allowed her imagination to run wild, testing her limits and the extent of her power. She pushed snow and pulled ice from out of thin air using nothing but her fingers and hands, all of which came to her as naturally as breathing. All this pent up anxiety, all this energy, finally released and she felt liberated. She moved forward and up creating a master staircase along the way leading up to the second floor of her ice edifice. From where she stood on her pedestal, she looked around and felt the need to make herself a new home. Like a conductor, she was directing her symphony of ice. She pointed at the ground and an epic ice wall began to shoot up from four different sides. She twirled her hands and fingers, this way and that, creating towers at different parts of her new castle. Exhausted and satisfied with her newest creation, she took in a deep therapeutic breath of winter air. For some, the air might have taken their breath away. For her, breathing in the cold was part of her and it was of no bother. She welcomed it because this was her area of expertise. Realizing that she was alone she became depressed and walked back down her recently erected staircase, standing outside the front doors of her majestic ice castle.

She fell to her knees at the bottom step and rested her exhausted head with her left hand staring at the ground. Then, the sudden realization of what she just did to get to this point hit her. Barely a Queen for a full day and she freezes her entire kingdom. What a disaster. She thought of her sister. Somehow she was spared from the frozen prison. Elsa pondered where she was at. Would she come looking for her? Would she have moved on? She continued staring at the snow and thought of a memory from her and Anna's childhood. Back to when their parents were alive and all was well and right with the world; a happy memory. Elsa recalled Anna waking her up in the middle of the night to play in the snow she would create. She remembered making snowman friends; one of which they named Olaf. With that happy memory, Elsa rippled her fingers and magically resurrected Olaf from their childhood.

"Well Olaf… it looks like it's just you and me," she said depressingly.

"And me!"

Elsa looked up to find a man of short-stature standing in front of her. The man had wavy hair and his skin, made of gold? His hair and skin were not like anything she had ever seen. "Who are you? Stay back! I could hurt you." She raised her hands to protect herself and she accidentally casted a snow flurry towards the stranger's direction. The stranger, unmoved and unafraid, simply stood still allowing the wind and snow to pass around him.

"Don't worry dearie, you need not fear me. I doubt you could hurt me anyways. Besides, I've come to help you…" his gold eyes looked up scaling her ice castle for a brief moment before looking down with a sinister grin and shrugged, "…remodel." The way he giggled gleefully gave Elsa the creeps. He seemed unnaturally excited and giddy about everything which made Elsa extremely unsure of him.

"I seriously doubt you can help me. No one can. I was born with these abilities. Everything was fine until I accidentally struck my sister in the head and… ugh, why do you care?"

"You're right. I don't care," he retorted, agreeing with her, "But I am, however, interested in what it is that you can do." His eyes widened as he pointed at her, stepping cautiously closer. Every time he spoke it seemed that with every word there needed to be a gesture that followed along with it. Every motion of his hands were theatrical and mesmerizing, almost enchanting. "Perhaps with your powers and the right tutelage from me," he continued, pointing to himself, "you can help me."

"I can help you?" she asked skeptically. The giddy golden man nodded enthusiastically. "What is your name?"

"Oh, please forgive me, where are my manners?" he cleared his throat intentionally and mockingly bowed, "my name… is Rumplestiltskin."

Elsa stood up to reciprocate a proper curtsy, introducing herself, "I am Queen El-"

"Yes, yes," said Rumplestiltskin with a low growl, impatiently cutting her off, "I know who you are, _Queen_ Elsa."

Startled and surprised by his rudeness, she gave up on the curtsy. She didn't know how to react to his impertinence. It was as if he was living by his own rules and etiquette. She felt like she was talking to a child; a golden giddy child. "You know my name. How come I've never heard of you?"

"You've never heard of me?" He gasped in fake shock, pretending to be insulted. "Well, then again, I'm not surprised. You don't get out much, do you?" his reply both perceptive and snarky. He approached the ice door to her ice castle, temporarily ignoring her. She turned to see what he was going to do. She gambled, assuming that with his complexion that he must be cursed like her as well.

"You can perform magic?" she inquired, looking upon him curiously.

"Magic, my dear… is what I do." And on his last word he touched the door with both of his hands and color sprung into life from where he touched. A healthy shade of oak brown expanded from the point of contact and within seconds, she was face to face with an actual wooden door! He transformed her ice into an actual door.

"You… you can teach me magic?" she said, amazed and stunned.

"Dearie, you already know how to perform magic. This whole castle was made from _your _magic," he said, flamboyantly gesturing toward her castle, "You're actually quite a powerful practitioner and I believe, with the proper guidance, you could do much more."

"What if I don't want to do anymore? I've already done enough damage. All I want to do is control this curse and go back to fixing my kingdom."

"Well, how noble," he mocked. "If you don't want my help, I'll just continue on my merry way-" Rumplestiltskin walked away from her doorstep and proceeded to continue walking away when he heard Elsa shout, "No! Wait!"

Rumplestiltskin spun on his heels facing her, "_Yes?..." _awaiting her reply.

Elsa hesitated for a moment, pondering her next words. She was trying to determine what her other options were. In that brief moment, she realized that she had no other options. Say 'no' and be stuck in her current situation, or say 'yes' and risk trusting a stranger she knew little about. She needed to take a chance, if not for herself, then for her kingdom. "Where do we be begin?"

"That's the spirit!" he replied jovially, as if he already knew she wouldn't say no. "We begin by you performing more demonstrations."

Rumplestiltskin stood in front of her one moment and in a flash disappeared, only to suddenly reappear directly beside her. His sudden approach was uncomfortably close, startling her. She jumped in reaction to his quick movement and in her defense casted icicles at him in the process.

She looked over at Rumplestiltskin who had been pierced by her icicles. "Oh!" she exclaimed, half-concerned for his welfare. But seeing that he was still alive, she hesitantly asked, "Are you ok?"

"Skittish are we?" he commented while removing shards of ice from his chest and feet, apparently fine.

"I'm so sorry! Every time I get nervous or anxious, or…" she saw Rumplestiltskin and how he still didn't care how she felt, she discontinued her tangent, "You see? I can't control this without hurting someone. This is hopeless."

"True, magic does come from emotions and feelings deep within, but you need to find a happy memory to rein in your powers."

"Finding a happy memory isn't the issue. I just can't remember a moment when I wasn't scared or nervous all the time." If she wanted to be honest with herself, Rumplestiltskin made her nervous. She constantly viewed him as a threat. The way he moved and spoke gave her the creeps and the fact that she still didn't trust him made things worse and training with him that much harder.

"Hmmm…" contemplated Rumplestiltskin, coming to the same unspoken conclusion as Elsa. With magic, he could do anything, except change or manipulate the way a person feels. That was tricky and beyond his magic. For once, he became unsure how to train her. Yes, she was powerful. Yes, she could help him, however not today. Not when her magic and emotions went unchecked and undisciplined. Curious, he asked, "…and your magic… well, can you do anything else that doesn't involve ice and snow?"

Queen Elsa shook her head 'no'.

"Perhaps, if you can't control your abilities, then maybe I can help you get rid of your abilities."

"Really? You can do that? I didn't think it could ever be done," she said, thinking excitedly about a future without this curse.

"Well, now that you're interested," he said, purple smoke engulfed his hand conjuring a small metal urn.

"What is that?" she asked curiously.

"This, Snow Queen, is a receptor. If you rub this item with your hands, it will absorb your curse and you won't hurt anyone ever again."

She approached the item in his hands, hesitant and unsure of the repercussions. Another risk. He hadn't harmed her so far, in fact, she had been the one to harm him first, if not accidentally. "And this… this will take my curse away? I won't be able to hurt anybody?" she repeated back verbatim trying to reassure herself. She stared at the object contemplatively before looking up at him for affirmation. He replied with a firm nod.

Elsa thought of her sister. She was alive somewhere, she could feel it. She wanted to reconnect with her and perhaps, when all was said and done, Rumplestiltskin could help her unfreeze Arendelle. If all went well and accordingly she could get her life back.

She took a breath and placed her right hand on the object, rubbing it with the tips of her fingers. It was surprisingly warm to the touch and upon contact suddenly felt a pull towards the object. She took a timid step backwards, only she kept moving toward the object. "What is happening?!" she cried out in alarm. Blue smoke engulfed her entire body and she became immobile. "What are you doing?!" she shouted. Her body went from solid to gelatin to liquid and then into a blue gas in a matter of seconds, her contents pulling into the urn by the mysterious force until she completed disappeared.

"Good bye Snow Queen." He giggled uncontrollably. "Hmm… _Snow. Queen._" He amused himself over the irony of the last two words. It gave him another serendipitous echo, like he would be saying those words quite often in the future. Seeing into the future gave off an almost tingly sensation, which only confirmed that his future was on track to the right path; The path to seeing and reuniting with his son again.

"Now a place to put you," he said to himself. He looked fondly at the castle and the convenience of it. "This will do just fine." And with a snap of his fingers, ice turned to rock, walls became fortified and redefined by color. The oak door opened at his will and the interior became flooded and decorated with items and other nick-knacks he collected from his travels and deals. The interior was simple and dark, just as he liked it. "Well Bae," Rumplestiltskin reflected sadly to himself, "this is your castle. It's even better than we dreamed about." He took a moment to marvel the exterior of the castle. The Dark Castle was majestic and enormous, but as much as he wanted to glorify it, he had nobody to share his treasure with. The depressing thought loomed over him but he pressed forward, entering the impressive castle too big for one man, alone.

* * *

**Thanks again to Montreat11 and Grace5231973 for your reviews. I'm super stoked you guys are enjoying the chapters. I apologize to my Rumbellers up front, because I'm writing in the style of OUAT and they don't typically feature just Rumplestiltskin and Belle. I promise, once we get through the Frozen debacle in Storybrooke, the literature will be more Rumbelle focused. And for you new readers out there, don't be shy. Feel free to review and let me know what you think! I want to hear the good and bad.**


	6. The Consequence of a Frozen Heart

Kristoff, Anna and Sven plowed through Elsa's snow trail. Kristoff was still trying to soak in Anna's tale of what had happened at the coronation. The sun was beginning to set and Sven was starting to tire. They had been galloping for a couple of hours now, and so Kristoff decided to give Sven a break and have him trot for a while. Kristoff took advantage of the smoother ride to continue talking to Anna who was sitting behind him holding on.

"So… Queen Elsa… I suppose that could explain why she had always remained reclusive to her people. Why would she hide something like that from you?"

"I don't know. Maybe she didn't want to hurt me. Maybe she just wanted to be the role model to me as well as our people and didn't want to scare or have anybody lose faith in her. I just don't understand. I thought we were close. Why would she run away from me? Do you think she would think that I would think any less of her? Or love her any less?"

"I think those are all very good questions. You should ask her when we find her." The frozen path that Elsa left behind had the pair scale a small mountain. The ascent caused their pursuit to slow down even more so because of the climb. "I really hope we get to her soon. We should probably set up camp soon. The sun is starting to set and I doubt we will be able to see this path for long."

Anna sat up, alarmed that his intentions on finding Elsa did not match her own, implored, "Please, we can't stop! She can't be alone. I need to support her through this and tell her I love her."

"Alright, alright!" he answered trying to calm her, "I was just making a suggestion and exploring our options. We won't stop."

Silence passed between the two as Kristoff thought happily to himself over the broken engagement to Prince Hans. He smirked to himself over the thought.

"So, ahem… Prince Hans," he remarked with intents on changing the topic of conversation. He spoke trying to hide his bias through his elated smile.

"Oh shut it," she said embarrassingly, not wanting to admit fault on a hasty decision.

"What?" he replied feigning innocence.

"You were going say, 'I told you so', weren't you?"

Kristoff turned his head to look at Anna, "I was only going to say-"

"-Wait! Look!" said Princess Anna interrupting Kristoff from his thought. Sven had reached the summit and they could see a Castle nestled below in the valley. "She's there! I know it!"

"C'mon Sven!" Kristoff shouted at Sven and the pair took off down the mini mountain side toward the Castle. The run descending the mountain side went a lot quicker than the ascent and they were at the castle in less than an hour. Both Princess Anna and Kristoff hopped off of Sven upon reaching the castle's front entrance. The horse trotted over to a nearby stream to relax and drink its share of runoff water from the surrounding ice melting from the castle.

"Are you sure your sister is here?" asked Kristoff, weary from the quick travel.

"I'm positive. Look," she pointed to the ice, "her snow trail ends here." She said marching bravely forward toward the big oak doors. She plucked up the courage, balling her fists and began pounding on the huge doors. She shouted, "Elsa! Elsa come on out! I know you're in there. It's me, Anna. I know you're scared, but you don't have to be. I'm right here! We can get through this together! Open up your doors please and let me in!"

The doors opened on their own merit and a man with gold skin stepped through the door's threshold. Surprised and confused, Anna asked the strange man, "Who are you?"

"Who are you?" the gold-skinned man asked back.

"This is my sister's castle. My sister, Queen Elsa, is here. She left her kingdom leaving a trail of snow leading up to this castle. Where is she?"

"What makes you think this is _her_ castle? There is no Queen Elsa here," said the man with gold skin, making a point that even Kristoff was beginning to wonder too.

"You're lying! She's here. How else do you explain that snowman over there?" said Princess Anna pointing to Olaf still perched by his doorstep. "I know you're lying because my sister and I would make a snowman exactly like this one when we were kids growing up."

"You caught me. Your sister _was_ here. But now, she's gone."

"What? Where? She disappeared?" she said disbelievingly.

"Yep never to return."

"No way," she said confidently. "She will return. Her trail ends here. I'll stay here forever if I have to."

"Please don't do that. I don't need another garden gnome. If we're going to continue this conversation, Let's do business inside, it is getting frightfully cold out here," he said giggling slightly. He gestured to them to come inside, "Don't dawdle dearies. In some lands loitering is considered rude."

Anna and Kristoff entered The Dark Castle. Kristoff looked around him checking out his new surroundings, while Anna remained focused on the strange man, determined to not lose sight of him. They walked past a grandiose staircase while the stranger continued, "If Queen Elsa is your sister, then you must be… Princess Anna."

"Yes, and who, might I ask are you?" asked Princess Anna as the three of them entered a giant room with a long dining table at its center. In the far back corner sat a spinning wheel. Kristoff stared at the spinning wheel trying to make sense of why such an odd object would to be placed in a dining room.

"My name is-"

"-Rumplestiltskin," finished Kristoff. "You're the Dark One. The Village Spinster and the maker of impossible things possible."

"Well it is certainly nice to hear that my notoriety has improved," Rumplestiltskin remarked, "and in such little time, I might add."

"Princess we should leave," warned Kristoff.

"Why?" asked the Princess.

"Because Rumplestiltskin is also known to be quite the monster for hurting or killing people who cross his path."

"Well I'm not afraid him."

"Now tell me Princess," interrupted Rumplestiltskin, taking note and admiring Princess Anna's bravery, "What makes you think I won't hurt you?"

"Because only a monster would do that and I don't see a monster. I see a misunderstood person afflicted by a curse, just like my sister."

"Well, well, aren't we trusting? Word of advice dearie, don't allow your naivety to justify bravery, your inexperience will be your downfall… but you have my attention and since I'm in such a receptive mood I'm willing to make you a deal, but first… tell me, what are you willing to give up to see your sister again?"

"I would give up my life for her," she replied absolutely, her response unwavering.

"Really?"

"Haven't you loved someone that you would do anything for?" Princess Anna waited to see Rumplestiltskin's reaction to her response. He seemed to have taken pause to her last statement, masticating on the thought as if difficult to swallow. The truth was, he did understand. With the recent loss of his son he felt more inclined to assist her. When he didn't respond, she continued, "I love her."

"I see…" he replied more seriously, curling and playing with his fingers. "Well, obviously I must assist you, otherwise how else will you ever leave?" He contemplated how to assist her, "I can reunite you with your sister, but there's a price… the cost could mean giving up this life for the next."

"But… I'll be with my sister again," said Anna acknowledging the end, but not the means.

"No! Anna don't do this! He means to take your life," pointed out Kristoff, holding on to Princess Anna's shoulders as if to protect her and looking into her eyes.

"No, he means to reunite us," she said shrugging off Kristoff's protective grip. "Elsa is all the family I have left in this world." She turned to look at Rumplestiltskin, "I'll do it."

"Princess… Anna, please?" Kristoff pleaded, begging for her to see reason.

"He's right, you know," Rumplestiltskin said popping up inconveniently next to them, "the spell I plan to enact will undoubtedly freeze your heart." They both turned to look at him, "What can I say? You're sister inspired me. And!" he said, walking in between the two to redirect the focus on him, "until your dear ol' sister breathes your name out of… _love_, will you then be reunited with her. But I must warn you, a person cannot live that way for long. That is the consequence of a frozen heart."

"If she can freeze things, then she can unfreeze things. When we are reunited I'm sure she'll find a way to unfreeze my heart."

"I take that as a 'yes' then?" to which Anna replied with a nod of her head. "Excellent."

"No!" pleaded Kristoff. He ran forward to intercept any magic Rumplestiltskin was going to cast on Anna when all of a sudden he felt an invisible force halt him in his tracks. He looked up and saw Rumplestiltskin hold up his hand, using magic to keep him stationary.

"It's no use laddie. The deal has been struck."

Kristoff helplessly watched as Rumplestiltskin directed his purple smoke at Princess Anna's heart. She closed her eyes as the magic impacted her heart. Within seconds, her form solidified and became transparent. She had become a beautifully enchanted ice statue.

Tears formed in Kristoff's eyes as the temporary magic that kept him still wore off. He stormed over to Rumplestiltskin "I want to make a deal! Freeze my heart!" he demanded emphatically.

"The spell only breaks if someone speaks your name out of true love. She…" he said pointing at Anna's ice sculpture, "…does not love you, so it won't work dearie. Besides, you have nothing I want."

"There must be another way!" he pointed out, clearly upset.

"Why don't you run along and do… whatever it is that you do. You have no kingdom or title, therefore, nothing to trade or anything I want. No deal."

"Why were you so inclined to help Princess Anna, then?"

"She was persistent and bothersome. She said so herself, 'I'll stay here forever'," said Rumplestiltskin mockingly.

"What did you do to Queen Elsa?" demanded Kristoff.

"I sent her away, like I did to her sister. Now if you don't leave, I'll turn you into something you'll soon regret."

Kristoff didn't doubt the validity of his statement. He had heard of the cruel and unusual acts he committed, terrorizing the village of his previous residence. He backed away from Rumplestiltskin, fighting back tears that were in his eyes, "I'll be back for her, for both of them."

"Ooh! That sounded more like a threat. I'd like to see you try," Rumplestiltskin taunted.

"It was a promise." Kristoff mounted Sven and galloped away into the forest. It was only when he was miles away from the Dark Castle that he allowed the tears that he had held for so long to fall. He was broken. No kingdom, no home, everyone he cared about or knew was frozen. He had lost hope.

Night had fallen. Sven and Kristoff trotted off into the wilderness. The moon was high in the sky shedding dim light to the ground below. He had no idea where he was and didn't really care. He was in every sense, lost. He practically fell off of Sven and collapsed to his knees out of despair. Head spinning, eyes red and swollen, he looked up at a particular blue star in the sky. "Please…" he called out into the night sky. "…end my misery. I've got nothing else to live for."

"…But you do have something to live for…" He turned to see a Blue Fairy hovering close to him. Her heavenly glow was a welcomed sight for his sore eyes. "…you have hope."

"What hope? My kingdom is frozen, I have no title, and no home. The love of my life was tricked by Rumplestiltskin and turned into a statue," he sighed before continuing, "I should just go back to Rumplestiltskin and have him decide the rest of my fate."

"Well, I cannot bring back your loved ones," the Blue Fairy began saying. Kristoff laughed hysterically over the disparity of his situation. He wasn't laughing at the fairy, but laughing because he had exhausted all the rest of his emotions. "But…" she continued, "…I can bring you hope, thus your reason to continue living."

"Why do you care so much about what happens to me? What do you get out of it?"

"You're accustomed to dealing with Dark Magic; prices, bargaining. My magic is the antithesis to Dark Magic," she explained.

"Light Magic?"

"Some would say that. I work with Fairy Magic. We strive to balance out the forces in nature, both light and dark magic. Here…" the Blue Fairy said tossing Kristoff a flower of some sort.

"What is this?" he asked.

"A Poppy Flower, eat it. When you consume it you will fall into a deep slumber. You will wake when Snow touches your head and when you do you will find your hope."

"But… I'm just a stable boy. I'm not worth anything. I can never repay you for your kindness."

"Didn't you know? When you wish upon a star, makes no difference who you are, anything your heart desires _will_ come to you."

He looked down at the flower for a brief moment and smiled. Hope. He looked back up to thank the Blue Fairy, but discovered that she had disappeared. He got up and approached Sven, removing his saddle and anything that would weigh the horse down. "You're free boy. Go find your happily ever after."

The horse snorted, as if asking what Kristoff was going to do. "Don't worry about me. You've been a faithful and loyal friend. I'm going to go fall sleep. When I wake I'm going to find my happily ever after. Now go!"

Kristoff slapped Sven's hindquarters causing the horse to gallop towards his freedom and into the darkness. He looked down at the Poppy Flower and popped the magical plant into his mouth. It didn't take long for the plant to take effect. Kristoff staggered this way and that. His arms extended haphazardly looking for a sturdy tree and found the closest one. He leaned his back up against it and slumped all the way down its trunk. He laid his head against the bark and his eyes immediately closed.

… …

…_**Fairy Tale Land… Decades later…**_

"You know, with your condition, I think we should stop these constitutional rides into the wilderness."

"Charming, I'm pregnant, I'm not an invalid." Prince Charming was walking gently holding onto the reigns of the horse carrying his wife.

"I know, but Snow… what if you go into labor out here in the middle of nowhere?"

"So what? Then I go into labor. We'll figure things out like we've always done, together. Besides, I was going to pull my hair out if I stayed inside for another day. I swear, at one point I thought I was going to strangle our wet-nurse." Charming looked back at his wife skeptically. "Seriously, I was. Telling me what needs to be here, what to expect when, what I should do if this... Ugh!" Snow looked down at her husband who was still looking back at her with a cynical look. "I know, I know. She is only doing her job and I give her credit for that. However, to me she's suffocating. But here…," said Snow White closing her eyes, breathing in the forest air, "in these woods, I feel free. Like back when I was a bandit and the Evil Queen was hunting me down." Snow White then chuckled to herself.

"What's so funny?"

"For all intents and purposes, I felt free. I was freely roaming around the woods, free from the ties of royal responsibility, free to do… pretty much whatever I wanted. But… ironically, I was enslaved to the hunt. I was perpetually evading, escaping and avoiding." Her face had fallen for a moment.

"Well thank goodness that's not the case anymore," stated Charming out loud, changing the tone of the conversation, "because frankly, I was getting tired of being good at finding you all the time."

"I suppose that's why I stopped running." Snow looked at her husband with a warm smile. "Still, there's something about these woods that allows me to hear my own thoughts again."

"There's a reason why they call this The Enchanted Forest."

She stretched out her arms and rolled her neck. She turned her head to the side and saw something from the corner of her eye. "Charming, stop."

"What? What is it?" he looked nervously about them. Snow pointed toward the strange mass leaning against a tree. "There, over there. Can you see it?"

Charming instinctively drew out his sword to protect them as he craned his head in the direction Snow was pointing at. "It's… it's a man. He's sleeping."

"Help me get down." Charming placed his sword back into its sheath and helped his wife off of the horse. They moved slowly toward the sleeping man. "Hello? Sir?" called out Snow to the stranger from a safe distance. The stranger remained still in his peaceful slumber. Charming took the end of his foot and tapped it against the bottom of the stranger's foot. No reaction. "He might be dead," Charming concluded.

"That can't be, he still has color in his face. Let me check his pulse." Snow knelt down beside the stranger and reached for his head. Snow carefully placed one hand on his forehead and the other around his neck and upon contact his eyes fluttered open. His sudden awakening startled everyone. He fell away from Snow White, bewildered and confused. He was expecting colder weather. He looked around at his surroundings looking for snow, but there was none to be had. _Was it the morning?_ He thought. "Who are you? What's going on?" the stranger shouted.

"I'm Snow White and this is my husband Prince James."

"Snow…" said the stranger slowly clutching his head, "so that's what the Blue Fairy meant."

"I'm sorry, have we met before?" asked Snow.

"He's met Blue," pointed out Charming.

"I'm… um… my name is Kristoff. I'm just a stable boy from the kingdom of Arendelle."

"Arendelle…" repeated Snow, trying to remember where she had heard that name before.

"I've never heard of this kingdom," stated Charming.

"That's because it fell prey to a curse and has since been a legend. The Lost Kingdom of Arendelle. My mother told me this story when I was just a child, but if you're from there, then it must not have been a story. Arendelle actually existed at some point in time. Kristoff, how long have you been sleeping here?"

"Apparently long enough for it to become a legend."

"Come then," said Charming offering his hand to get Kristoff back on his feet, "you have much to tell us on the way back to our palace."

"Indeed," said Kristoff stretching from an incredibly long slumber. Charming helped his wife from the ground and hoisted her back on the horse. Kristoff told the true tale of The Lost City of Arendelle. He told the Charmings of Princess Anna and how he came to be in the kingdom's employment. He explained the fateful day of her sister, Queen Elsa's coronation, retelling the events of what happened through Anna's point of view. He told them of his feelings for Princess Anna and how he came to be outside the frozen kingdom at the time the curse hit. All the while, he felt like he was simply explaining yesterday's events. When he came to the part in his story involving Rumplestiltskin, Charming interrupted, "Why am I not surprised?" To which Snow quickly hushed her husband, allowing Kristoff to continue and finish his tale. He explained how Rumplestiltskin claimed to have gotten rid of Queen Elsa, but wasn't clear as to how. He explained the deal Rumplestiltskin made with Princess Anna and how he was unwilling to deal him because he had nothing Rumplestiltskin wanted. "So wait…" he said, digressing from his story, "You know of Rumplestiltskin?"

"You don't have to worry about Rumplestiltskin anymore," assured Snow.

"What do you mean? What happened to him?"

"We finally caught him in a trap while he was making another deal with a friend of ours. He's locked away in a cell now protected by magic. There's no need to fear him any longer and if you ask me, he got what was coming to him," Charming stated boldly. Kristoff, comforted by Rumplestiltskin's current status, continued, "Anyways, I took off into the woods with nowhere to go. Arendelle was the only home I've ever known. I was lost. Then the Blue Fairy found me and gave me a Poppy Flower to ingest, telling me that I would wake up when _Snow_," he nodded towards Snow White, "would touch my head and that when I woke up, I would find my hope. Honestly, I thought she meant snow… as in, you know, the cold white puffy stuff that falls from the sky and not an actual person named Snow."

"That Blue… she really is something, isn't she?" said Charming looking fondly over at Snow.

"She's been a real ally to us as well as a good friend," said Snow. "Well, I'm so sorry about what happened to your Queen and Princess Anna. You are more than welcome to stay at our castle and start over."

"Speaking of which…" said Charming looking beyond a clearing and onto a castle with a long bridge leading up to it.

A new home. A fresh start. Hope. He wasn't sure if this was exactly what the Blue Fairy meant. However, it was definitely a lot better than what had happened during his 'yesterday'. His meeting Prince James and Princess Snow White wasn't exactly what he was expecting, but he was glad to have met them. Kristoff couldn't quite put his finger on the feeling, but there was an internal optimism about them that was quite contagious. He could see why they were so incredibly blessed. They were hopeful. They pressed on with one foot after the other, heads held high. It wasn't much, but in the end he ended up being hopeful after all.

* * *

**Another shout out thank you's to Montreat11 and Grace5231973. It was really awesome connecting with you guys again. Just one more chapter in FTL and then on to Storybrooke! And any new Oncers that braved reading this, please review! I'll love hearing from you.**


	7. Blizzard Blunder

_**Present Day…Granny's Diner…**_

"…_You did this?..._" Regina said, confounded and absolutely devastated.

"I just wanted to save her life," said Emma making a poor attempt at explaining herself.

"You're just like your mother, never thinking of consequences!" said Regina, her devastation turning into fury.

"I didn't know."

"Of course you didn't. Well, you just better hope to hell you didn't bring anything else back." Regina took a few moments doing her best to regain her composure. She looked around the diner, "I'm taking Henry home with me tonight," she stated toward Emma. "Where's Henry? Henry!" Regina called out in the diner.

Henry was sitting at a neighboring booth with his grandparents and saw Mary-Margret and David look up at the interaction, which prompted him to turn around in his booth to do the same. "I'm right here Mom," said Henry as he exited the booth.

"Henry," Regina pleaded. She held on to both of Henry's shoulders looking straight into his eyes. It was her most loving way of being honest with him. Holding on to his shoulders was also a distraction for her hands, preventing them from performing dark magic, "I need you to come home with me tonight. I can't be alone right now. I'm afraid if I stay any longer I'll do something I know I'll regret." She looked up to give Emma a vicious glance. It was taking every ounce of her strength to resist the temptation of lighting a fireball and hurling it towards Emma's face.

"What's wrong? What happened?" implored Henry. He wanted to remedy whatever ailed his mother and was causing her this much pain. He could see the distress on her face and her eyes on the verge of tears.

"I'll tell you when we get home honey, but for now, I need you with me to remind me that I'm… I'm…" Regina stuttered, struggling against a violent reflex, "…still good."

"Ok, Mom. Ok. We'll go," Henry replied, sympathetic to her confliction. He looked over at Emma, "I'll call you later, ok Mom?" Emma nodded obligingly. Henry took Regina's hand and he led her out the door before another fight could break out. Things were going so well tonight, the last thing he wanted was his two moms to feud again.

… …

Somewhere in the dark distance lies the remains of Zelena's shattered residence. In her deserted barn house, Elsa awakens discovering this new land. Seeing the damned urn that Rumplestiltskin used to trap her she pulled off one of her gloves and used her magic to freeze the object, shattering it to a million pieces. She strutted out of the barn house to gain her bearings. _Rumplestiltskin must be close by, _she thought. She looked left and right, ready to freeze anybody or anything that moved. Ask questions later. Nobody. No castle. Just a forest that surrounded the outskirts of this humble property. Nothing looked familiar. Nothing looked exotic either. She was determined to make things look familiar if she had to create it herself. Although a fire fueled burned within her, she still managed to manipulate ice and snow. She felt a pull to the forest. At least the trees in this land were familiar to those in her land. She looked for the highest vantage point in this new land to rebuild her ice domain. She wanted to get a better look over whatever kingdom her urn had traveled her to.

It was nightfall, so she used the moonlight to guide her up the advantageous hill. She glided to the hillside's plateau, practically floating as she gracefully came to a halt. Not much space, but it will do. She couldn't build her ice castle like she did before, but she could certainly build one that would look down upon the village that twinkled like fireflies in the night. She went to work that night. She created ice crystals and positioned them accordingly to harvest the moon's light. Her ice mansion illuminated, giving off an iridescent glow. She reached the second floor balcony of her mansion and looked down at the Firefly Village, pondering her next move. Elsa stared down at the little town. She couldn't sleep.

She reflected back on how she accidentally froze her entire kingdom. How she removed herself to protect anyone else who may have still been alive. She thought about her sister. The last words she heard from her was of her own name. Was she even alive? Doubtful. Elsa, Queen of Arendelle. This land is definitely not Arendelle. So Queen of… what? She was the ruler of nobody, except for herself. As Queen of herself, her first act would be to find answers. Answers to questions like: What is this land? What kingdom is she in? Where is her kingdom now? But most importantly, where is Rumplestiltskin? As Queen of herself, she demanded justice and retribution for his actions and she wanted to make her presence known.

She looked down at the town casting her hands above it causing the first snowfall of Storybrooke.

... ...

The sun breaks out over the horizon. Storybrooke residents wake up to discover snow had decorated their town like icing on a village of gingerbread houses. Some braved the snow and even stepped outside to play in it while others felt something very ominous about the first inclement weather of Storybrooke and remained indoors. Kristoff stepped out from his little house that was in proximity of the town's stables. He stepped out into the snow without hesitation, but with deep reservations. Something about it was calling him, like destiny. He couldn't remember the last time he experienced snow in Storybrooke, except on the day of Elsa's coronation before the curse. The sight of snow reminded him of home. And when the first snowflake touched his head, he was given a strange surge of hope; that his happy ending was near. He looked up into the sky and smiled as snow continued accumulating on his head.

_Snow. Elsa?! _He immediately thought. Is there a connection between the two? Or was he jumping too quickly to conclusions? He had to find out. Kristoff took off in his truck and immediately headed into town to settle his doubts and get answers once and for all.

… …

Elsa strutted into the village and with a flick of her wrist froze the billboard that said, "Welcome to Storybrooke". The billboard collapsed from the side of a building, crashing heavily to the ground. She saw its citizens scatter and return to the safety of the shops and homes. Snow continued to fall from the sky as she nonchalantly looked about her in this odd village. She shouted into the cold air, "I demand to speak to a representative of this town! If no one comes forth within fifteen minutes, I shall freeze you all inside your homes unless someone brave comes forward!"

The town ran quiet with fear. Elsa didn't require any amplification because the silence within each home allowed her voice to carry and ricochet off the walls of the surrounding buildings. From within her mansion, Regina could hear her callings. She held on to Henry to protect him as they both heard Elsa's demands. "Henry, stay home. I've got to confront this person that's terrorizing _my_ town."

"Mom, let me come with you I can help."

"No! Call Emma, and keep her on the phone so that we both know you're safe. I'm still the mayor of this town, and as mayor I must do what I need to do to protect the citizens within it."

Regina left Henry's side and grabbed her coat. She attempted to open the front door to her mansion but had no success. Seeing that the door was frozen shut, she threw her hands up in the air using magic to free the door and it burst forth with a loud _'bang'!_ An immediate wall of cold air rushed inside her mansion blowing wind into Henry's face as she left. Henry did, for the most part, what his mother had asked, but had different plans. He ran upstairs to his bedroom and searched for his cell phone. Three missed calls from his other mother, Emma. He grabbed the cellular device and threw on his coat, following Regina out the front door.

"Finally, my fire will be put to some good use," said Regina to herself as she held up her hand and uncurled her fingers exposing a magical fireball. She threw the balls of fire on the ground melting the ice and snow exposing the cement to Storybrooke's streets. Regina boldly walked down the street, revealing Storybrooke's road as she went. She approached the mysterious woman who threatened her town. "Excuse me, I don't know who you think you are, but no one threatens my town but me."

Elsa spun on her heels facing her threat. They both faced each other in front of Granny's diner. Unbeknownst to the two powerful women, spectators were watching safely through the windows of the establishments along Main Street. Both women had their hands ready, waiting for the other to make the first move. "I am Queen Elsa of Arendelle. Who are you?"

"I am Queen of the Enchanted Forest. Here, I am Madame Mayor of Storybrooke, why have you come here?"

"I have never heard of this Kingdom of Storybrooke."

"That's because I created this place from a curse which removed everyone from the Enchanted Forest to this realm. There are no kingdoms here in Storybrooke."

"Where's Rumplestiltskin?"

"Why do you want to speak with him?"

"Because he and I have unfinished business."

"You're going to have to go through me first before you speak with any one of my citizens."

"My pleasure…"

Elsa slung sheets of icicles and snow towards Regina's direction. Regina used her magic and projected a heated shield melting the incoming ice and snow.

"Mom!" called out Henry.

Just at that moment, Henry ran out from behind a bank of snow to protect his mother. Emma and Hook ran behind him failing miserably at attempting to stop him. Elsa paused to look at the oncoming adolescent. A look of fear flashed on Regina's face. "No Henry! Go back inside with Emma…"

Elsa seized the moment, taking advantage of Regina's vulnerable distraction and shot another unexpected enchanted projectile at Regina's heart, hitting it dead on. Regina flew through the air upon impact landing feet away from her original spot. When she landed her body skidded along the ice and she slowly came to a halt. A streak of white painted her hair starting at her temple and stretched all the way to the end.

"Regina!" "Mom!" shouted Emma and Henry at the same time. They both ran after Regina's fallen body. Henry knelt down by Regina cradling her head, calling out her name to resuscitate her. Emma stood by her feet shaking her gently. Hook stood between Emma and Elsa, staring down this new villain preparing to take the next icy blow to the heart to protect Emma.

Elsa bellowed at the town, looking at everyone hiding behind the building windows, "I will freeze the hearts of everyone in this village unless someone comes forth with information on Arendelle or the whereabouts of Rumplestiltskin!"

Elsa lifted her hands to strike Hook, Emma and Henry…

"Queen Elsa!"

Right at that moment, Kristoff jumped out of his car and ran to confront Elsa. "Queen Elsa! Your sister is not dead."

Elsa turned facing Kristoff. Upon hearing her sister's name, she exhaled a joyous and loving breath, "Anna…" Elsa, as relieved as she was to hear of her sister's fate, immediately began to relax. However the moment soon ended when she reflected her regretful past, and her face turned quickly to anguish.

"Yes. My Queen, my name is Kristoff…" said Kristoff, raising his hands out of surrender, trying to be as non-threatening as possible.

"Yes, Anna spoke quite often of you," said Elsa vaguely remembering, "You worked at our Kingdom's stables, right?"

"Yes. We grew up together and have since been really close friends. Please, let me help you…" he said, offering his hand and reaching for hers. Elsa, scared over what she might do and unprepared to meet her sister, looked around nervously at the destruction she already did to the town. She began having panicked flashbacks to what she had done to her kingdom. Afraid of inflicting more damage she shouted at Kristoff, "No. I… I can't!" and immediately recoiled disappearing in a cloak of magical snow flurry.

* * *

**Well, here we are... Storybrooke. See? The FTL chapters weren't too bad, huh? Thanks to , Grace5231973, and Montreat11 for your reviews. It was such a treat to hear your opinions. Let's keep the momentum going! If you are new to my story send me a reply. I love hearing from fellow Rumbelle/Oncers. :)**


	8. Love and What Families Do

The snow dust from Elsa's grandiose exit began to settle and Kristoff was nowhere to be seen. Groceries sat in the back seat of Rumple's car as the owner watched the events unfold. He squinted through the windshield and searched for him. He watched Emma and Henry bring Regina to her feet, attempting to assist her inside Granny's while Hook looked for any signs of Elsa and Kristoff. He could subtly hear Regina insist that she's fine, but the white streak in her hair said otherwise.

"I suppose snow plows don't exist in Storybrooke?" Emma remarked sarcastically as Hook returned to her side. Regina gave Emma a scowl as Henry did his best to hoist his mother inside the diner. Emma lifted her hands and closed her eyes. Almost like watching a film in reverse, items that had fallen were instantaneously put back in place. Snow was magically pushed to the side of the streets offering a clear path to anyone who still had a functioning car to drive on it once again.

Hook commented to Emma, "You know that's great for anyone driving, that is, if anybody can get to their cars from inside their houses."

"Well, I may not be able to conjure up a fireball like Regina," Emma replied looking down at Killian's hook, "but I think I can just remove the ice entirely." Emma then focused on the windows and doors to the buildings on Main Street. She thought about how she was able to magically displace Hook's hook and place it on the coat hanger that one time at Granny's diner. And with that imagery in her mind she was able to focus on her objective. She thought about all the doors and windows up and down Main Street and in just seconds, ice that had once sealed them disappeared instantly. Some of the residents emerged from their establishments to see what was left over from all of the commotion.

Emma proudly beamed at Killian, grinning from ear to ear. Killian, who appeared uncertain over Emma's magical abilities, looked at her sternly. "So… is the ice really gone?"

"I put the ice that was trapping the doors and windows into the woods."

Hook, impressed with Emma's good thinking, nodded in approval and they both walked inside following after Henry and Regina.

Rumplestiltskin did his best to overhear what was happening without being noticed. When the group finally collected themselves inside Granny's Diner to recuperate, Rumple left his car to enter his shop. He approached the front of his shop only to discover Kristoff standing in the way. Rumple underestimated Kristoff's crafty ability to maneuver in the snow.

"I apologize, but my shop is closed until further notice," Rumple said attempting to enter his shop again. When the defiant stranger refused to move, Rumple continued, "If you haven't noticed, it is quite cold out and I would like to enter my own shop. And since it is your lucky day, I'm asking you to leave, civilly." Kristoff ignored Rumple and continued staring down the short man with his jaw clenched. "Ah! I remember you," says Rumple, pointing a finger at him out of recognition, "and yet, you still have nothing that I want."

"Yeah, well this time I do," said Kristoff, sticking his hand out to stop Gold.

"Really?" Gold scoffs, "I doubt that. And how is it that you survived this long and in Regina's curse?"

"Long story."

"And one that I have no time for," Rumple replied, eager to get inside his shop and into the warmth. But seeing that Kristoff is unmoved by his threats, Rumple indulged and asked, "What do you want?"

"I know who did this and I think you know too."

Rumple says, "Elsa. I know. And if that's all you got then you still have noth—"

"I also know that at the time, even with all of your magic, you still didn't know how to help her, but I do," said Kristoff, cutting off Mr. Gold.

"Yeah, how?" said Gold, sneering at him.

"Where is Anna?"

"No where here."

"I believe Elsa's sister, Anna, can help her."

"And what makes you so sure about that?" Gold replied skeptically.

"Because I have seen what true love can do to change even the darkest of creatures." That comment was meant as an earnest jest. Belle and Mr. Gold's dating wasn't a secret in Storybrooke. And Kristoff only knew of Mr. Gold and Belle's relationship through his time spent in Storybrooke after the curse was broken. Although Kristoff didn't know Belle personally, he would see her around town. And since it was such a small community he would often times hear rumors about her heroism through the townsfolk and it was through them that he also learned of her relationship with Mr. Gold.

Kristoff's comment was enough to give Rumple pause. "And now that Elsa is here," Kristoff continued, "if she discovers what you've done to Anna, there's no telling what she'll do to the ones _you_ love."

"Now tell me, even after all this time, why are you still going after this girl?" asked Gold, redirecting the conversation away from him.

"Isn't it obvious? I love Anna."

"How can you even be sure about that? What if she doesn't love you in return?"

"Anna is my hope, and despite whatever feelings she has for me, I will always love her."

"I'm just saying that you've traveled across time and realms. That's a mighty huge risk trusting her like that with your feelings."

"The way I see it, if I find out she doesn't feel the same way I do, then so be it. I won't love her any less for it. However, if she does… then wouldn't you say it was all worth it?"

... ...

Henry eased his mother into one of Granny's booths. Emma offered to help Henry and Regina, but Regina snarled, "I don't need any help from you," her comment directed at Emma. "You've done enough already. Just because you don't have a fairy tale happily ever after, doesn't mean that you should go around ruining others from theirs."

Emma was beginning to tire of Regina's sass and quipped back, "What? Like you did with the curse?"

"You guys, stop it," Henry intervened, "Don't do this now. Please don't fight."

But before Emma or Regina could reply, Hook stepped inside the diner, "I've found no trace of this Queen Elsa. For the time being, it appears that we are safe."

Emma was comforted very little by Hook's news. She continued looking at Regina pondering her current state. "Regina, with all due respect, you need help. Elsa didn't hit you with any ordinary snowball; she hit you with something magical."

"Well obviously," Regina said sarcastically.

"Well, do you know of any curses that give people instant highlights? Because I don't. I would feel much better if we got a second opinion on your current state."

"Have you tried calling Gold?" asked Regina, who was clutching at her chest massaging the area of impact.

"I've tried calling Gold's shop and I've been trying to get in touch with Belle all morning. Whatever it is they're doing they seem to be a bit distracted because none of them have responded."

"Who do you think we should contact for that second opinion of yours?" Hook inquired, looking at Emma with a raised eyebrow.

"I think Mother Superior might be the next best thing." Just then, Emma's cell phone went off. "It's David." Emma looked at Granny who was standing behind the counter listening in on the conversation. "Granny, call Mother Superior and see if she can get down here. I've got to take this."

Emma walked towards the back of the diner by the bathrooms to answer the call. Hook obediently kept by Emma's side waiting for the next objective to be thrown his way. Henry stayed behind with Regina. He tried to offer his mother an encouraging smile. Regina looked up at him and asked with a disapproved tone, "Henry, why didn't you stay behind at the house like I asked you to?"

"Mom, you don't have to do everything by yourself. Not anymore. Believe it or not, you do have family."

"You're my only family," she replied sadly.

"That's not true. Technically, Snow White is your step-daughter, who… just happens to be my grandmother. Anyways, you do have family and families help each other, for the benefit of the whole. You don't have to be scared to ask for help from your family, especially ours."

"And what makes our family so special?"

"We're magical," said Henry, resulting in a small chuckle and then a smile from Regina, "and," Henry continued, "because of what we've all been through together; saving each other. A family of heroes! And of course, like all families we occasionally bicker now and again."

"I suppose we do," said Regina grinning at her son. She paused for a moment, enjoying the thought, "how did you become so smart?"

"Oh, I've had some help from family," replied Henry, grinning back at his mother.

Granny hung up the phone ending her conversation with the convent. Emma and Hook returned to Henry and Regina's table to reconvene. "That was the convent, nobody can move. They're buried deep in snow," said Granny.

"Mary-Margret and David are coming over to the diner soon. They're trying to find someone to watch over Neal. Regina, can you move?"

"Yes," said Regina, twisting her body gingerly, "but not quickly."

"Well for now, let's not exacerbate it. The last thing we want is for whatever it is you have to get any worse, especially since we don't know what it is you've got. Killian and I are going to head over to the convent and dig out some old fairies," Emma paused, surprised over the words that had come out of her mouth, "Wow… I never thought I would ever have to say that in my life." She heaved a quick sigh and looked over at Henry, "Kid, you alright staying with Regina for a while longer?"

"It would be my pleasure," he said beaming at Regina.

"Ok, good. I'll be back soon. I've got my cell. Call me if you need anything," she said. She walked over and kissed Henry on the head before leaving the diner with Killian towards the convent.

* * *

**I really enjoyed writing the interaction between Regina and Henry. It truly surprised me because at first I didn't really like Regina, but with her incorporated into my story now I forced myself to dig into her character and ask myself why? Why is she like this? Why does she do this? And what I found after studying her character was that it was in her complexity that made her character feel and seem so real and human. I suppose I understand the Evil Regal fandom now, lol. And I do admit, that Elsa's character in my story seems a bit haphazard, but what do you expect from a sheltered woman with anxiety disorder, who has a personal vendetta against Rumplestiltskin and has nothing left to lose? Or, at least she thought she had nothing left to lose until Kristoff confronted her about Anna. Analogous to how Belle is to Rumple, a reflection to one's own humanity, so are Kristoff and Anna to Elsa. And that's how I pictured it. Anyways, I hope the way I portrayed Elsa's character made some sort of sense. **

**To Grace5231973 and Montreat11, you guys are my Review-Heroes. Thank you! And for any newbies out there who are new to reading my story, feel free to drop a word or two and let me know what you thought. I love connecting with fellow Rumbelle/Oncers.  
**


	9. A Cold Front

Belle had packed as much as she could, filling the contents of their suitcases with as many warm articles of clothing as possible; or as many as she could find inside their closet and drawers. There wasn't much. It was strange for her imagining him in an outfit other than an Armani suit or something involving crocodile skin, however, some of those warmer clothes did exist for him and she folded them neatly into his suitcase. Somewhere in the distance she heard a soft chirping. At first she thought it was a bird, but it sounded more electronic. Her phone! She ran downstairs towards the sound, straining her ears for it. Her phone gave another _'chirp' _confirming its location and she found it wedged in a couch cushion which had fallen out of her purse. The Kriss dagger had propped open her bag, allowing the contents inside to spill out onto the couch. She looked at the dagger in disgust and she felt foolish to have "accidentally" left it exposed like that. She couldn't believe she had just left her bag here, unattended, exposed to anyone who dared peek inside their home. Of course, she was sure that he had placed heavy protective spells and charms on their home to prevent that very sort of thing from happening, but still the disgust she had wasn't for the dagger, it was for herself. While she was distracted with getting ready for their wedding, she completely forgot the safety of the dagger. She should have brought it with her, even to her wedding. It was at that moment that she decided to just bring her purse wherever she goes. It made her even more determined.

She opened her phone, which silenced the constant chirping, to discover four missed calls. Two missed calls from Emma, one from Leroy, and the other from Ruby. She was about to hit the playback button to her voicemail box when she heard a strange, muffled cry coming from the basement. Curious, she tossed the phone back into her purse containing the dagger, grabbing it and its contents and the thickest jacket she could find in the house and headed out the front door. She wasn't about to make the same mistake twice leaving the dagger behind.

Belle had only glimpsed into the basement when she caught Rumple practicing magic that one time in the middle of the night, but she had never physically been down there. There was no need to. The basement contained whatever work he brought home, and that included dark magic. She wasn't about to touch or clean his workplace unless he consented or was there to tell her what was safe to touch. Since he constantly worked with dangerous materials, she concluded that it was all dangerous and it was simply safer for her if the basement's contents were left untouched. Until now.

Belle peered through the small basement window like she did before, and saw… a young woman! "Elsa! Help! Anybody!" A young woman with auburn hair looked around aimlessly in Gold's, confused and trapped. Belle ran to the outside door leading down to the basement and opened it. "Hello?"

"Elsa?"

"No. My name is Belle. How did you get down here?"

"My name is Anna. My sister must have said my name. She needs me. I was magically frozen by Rumplestitskin so that my sister and I could be reunited. She must be close by," said Anna looking around curiously. The temptation to touch all the foreign objects in the room was starting to become overwhelming. But before Anna could do any damage Belle pleaded, "Please don't touch anything down there, you might hurt yourself. Please come upstairs where it's safer and we can continue talking."

"Who are you? What am I doing here?" asked Anna walking up the stairs towards Belle and into the daylight, "The last thing I remember was making a deal with Rumplestiltskin at his castle to reunited me with my sister."

"I'm Mrs. Gold. I'm Rumplestiltskin's wife." Anna widened her eyes out of fear, doubting her decision to go with this stranger. Belle, noticing her reaction quickly responded, "But you've no reason to fear! He's different in this land. He's changed, and to what I imagine, he's changed a lot since the last time you've met him. I'm his caretaker."

"How can you be married to such a… a…" Anna was searching for a word that matched her disgruntled non-approving face. But before she could finish her inevitably insulting remark, Belle was gladly able to finish it for her, "…misunderstood man?" Belle raised an eyebrow at Anna.

"Well," began Anna sounding completely dissatisfied with the description. But as she thought about it, she figured it wise that Belle had finished her sentence and not her. It was, after all, that same kind of knee-jerk judgment that got her into the predicament she was in today. So Anna decided to practice acceptance and tolerance, hoping to be more receptive and understanding. She wanted to be the better person and right the wrong that was placed on her family long ago. If people were more understanding of her sister, she wouldn't be in this mess. She figured that tolerance started somewhere and decided to start with herself first. So Anna decided to do just that giving the justice her sister never got, "…yeah," Anna finished, more understanding this time.

"Anna, have you ever heard of the saying, 'You can't judge a book from its cover'?" asked Belle as they stepped outside and into the snow.

"Yeah, I think I know exactly what you mean. My sister was misunderstood. She's cursed with powers to manipulate ice and snow. I think that may be why you're experiencing snow at the moment. She's here, I just know it." Anna was glancing down the snow-blanketed neighborhood when she clutched at her heart and moaned.

"Are you ok? What's happening?" Belle worriedly asked. Anna moaned, struggling to breathe, as a streak of white magically stained a portion of her hair. As soon as the white stopped highlighting her hair the pain stopped. "I'll be alright for now. It's part of the enchantment that Rumplestiltskin put me under. He told me that the consequence of a frozen heart would be that I wouldn't have much time. This is why I need to find my sister as soon as possible."

With a determined look on her face, Anna marched down the foreign street into the snow. Belle followed after her. "Wait! Where are you going? If you don't have much time, let me help you, I know this land better than you. We'll get to where you need to go much faster with a point of destination in mind."

"I told you. My sister is magical, and her expertise is dealing with anything frozen. If there's anybody that can help me, it's her."

Just then, a huge gust of wind and snow blew in their direction, blinding them briefly. When the mini blizzard cleared a human body became visible taking its place. "Anna?" said the entity.

Anna uncovered her eyes and blinked into the snow. A smile lit up upon her face as she shouted, "Elsa!"

The two sisters ran into each other, embracing for the first time after what seemed like an eternity.

"I can't believe I found you. I thought I lost you forever," Elsa tearfully said into Anna's ear.

"We're together now. That's all that matters."

"We're no longer in Arendelle," Elsa said pulling away from her sister, "We're in this place called 'Storybrooke'. Oh Anna, how are we ever going to go back home?"

"We don't need to go home. We have each other. My home is with you."

Elsa smiled and the two hugged each other once more. Elsa looked up, noticing there was a spectator. "And who are you?"

Anna turned facing Belle, standing next to Elsa at her side. "This is Mrs. Belle Gold. Wife of Rumplestitskin."

"Rumplestiltskin," Elsa's voice quickly turned angry and her eyebrows furrowed.

"What? What's the matter?" asked Anna. Elsa's eyes became focused on Belle. Not paying any attention to Anna tugging at her dress, she stepped aggressively towards Belle. Elsa shouted angrily at Belle, "Did you know that you're _husband_ trapped me in an urn for eternity?"

"What? No, I didn't. That was before he met me," said Belle stepping hesitantly back. Anna quickly jumped in between the two women, defending Belle. "Elsa, listen to me," Anna implored, "of all people, we shouldn't be the ones to judge. People from our land didn't understand your abilities and their ignorance drove you away from me. Please, just let it go! We're here and we're together. My heart can't take it if you run away again!"

"What's wrong with your heart?" Elsa broke her stare. She glanced over at her sister in concern, noticing the white streak in her hair.

"I had Rumplestiltskin freeze my heart. He told me that it would freeze me until you spoke my name out of love. It was so that we could be together. It's why I'm here with you right now."

"He did that to you?" Elsa replied, repulsed by Rumplestiltskin's repugnant act.

"Yes. But you have the ability to harness all things ice and snow. Surely you can cure me!" Anna assumed.

"I… I can't Anna. That's why I sought out Rumplestiltskin's assistance in the first place. He was to help me, but instead he trapped me," her retort was out of helplessness and it tormented her. Her distress gave fuel to her anger, which made her even more determined to go after Rumplestiltskin. "And now he's hurt you. I want to know why! I demand an explanation for these atrocities. I need to see Rumplestiltskin and he must come to me on my own terms." She turned toward Belle with a menacing look.

"Please," Belle threw her hands up to protect and distance herself from Elsa's threatening pose, "you don't understand, he's changed. He won't hurt you anymore!"

"Anna," Elsa spoke without breaking her predatory stare at Belle, "I don't want to hurt you in the process, so I need you to go away. Find someplace safe, because I'm not safe to be around right now."

"What?! No! Please don't shut me out," Anna begged, but before she could grab her sister, Elsa disappeared in the snow taking Belle along with her. "Elsa…" she said, finding herself alone once more. Devastated, she cried into her hands falling to her knees.

… …

Two vehicles were driving down the street towards Mr. Gold's Victorian house. A girl sat on the porch of his house and watched as the two horseless carriages pulled into the driveway. Frightened by the contraptions, Anna stood up and backed away from the vehicles as if one would jump up and eat her. Her heart heavily pounded when she saw a man resembling Rumplestiltskin exited the carriage.

_Belle was right. He has changed,_ Anna thought. But then a second man from the second carriage hopped out of his truck. "Anna!" the taller man exclaimed, a smile beaming on his face.

"Kristoff?!"Anna shouted back and they both ran towards each other falling into an embrace. "Is that really you?"

"Yes. I've waited a long time to see you again." Centuries of pent up tension melted away the instant Kristoff held Anna in his arms. Relief flooded his face and he felt he was able to breathe once again. They continued hugging, rejoicing at the sight of each other. As much as he didn't want to let go, they pulled from each other. They looked into each other's eyes as if preparing for a kiss when Mr. Gold interrupted, "Where's Belle?"

Anna pulled completely away from Kristoff and turned to look at the new Rumplestiltskin. She wiped away a tear that lingered on her face, "You were right. My sister found me and we were reunited, but…" she hesitated before looking at Rumple again, "When she found out that Belle was your wife, she left me and took her. She wants to see you and nobody else. Not even me. I don't even know where she is right now." Anna gave out another gasp in pain, holding her chest as another white streak stained her hair.

"She seems to be suffering from the same infliction as Regina," observed Mr. Gold.

"Yeah, no thanks to you," said Kristoff bitterly, "I'll take her back into town and take her to see the Blue Fairy. Hopefully, she'll be able to help her." He looked over at Mr. Gold, "What are you going to do?"

"I'm going to go get my wife."

* * *

**Hey guys! It's been brought to my attention that occasionally I write from present to past tense in some of my previous chapters. My Bad! I'm going to go back and edit them. That's what I get for editing and posting at midnight. Sorry! **

**Also just a couple of shout-out thank you's to Montreat11, Grace5231973 and BreathingintheSun for reviewing! I'm finding it very challenging to polish, post and write all under a deadline, but I'm going to try and post a chapter a day. That's my goal. Thank you all for following me. And for those of you afraid to review, don't be! I don't bite. I want to hear your thoughts and opinions, good and bad. Look forward to hearing from you soon!**


	10. The Doppelganger

Belle couldn't see where they were going, but wherever they were going they were moving quickly. The windy ice stung her face like thousands of needles and before she knew it she was inside an igloo of sorts. Elsa released her stone cold grip on Belle and Belle collapsed to the ground. The cold air was so dense it made it difficult for her to breathe. She shivered where she fell and looked up watching Elsa surround her with an impromptu ice cage. Belle saw precious hot air escape her mouth and couldn't help but notice that whenever Elsa exhaled no visible air was seen.

"How long… have you had your abilities?" Belle said as she trembled. She figured it was a safe question, something to keep her mind busy while her body stiffened.

"Ever since I was a child."

"You know… uh,… your sister truly loves you," Belle spoke honestly, in between shivers. Cold was seeping into her bones and they started to ache tremendously. _This isn't good. Focus. Focus, _Belle thought.

"The sooner your husband comes to actually help me, the sooner I can get back to her and save her."

"She might not have that much time left." Time_._ _She's_ not going to last that much time if Rumple doesn't get here soon. _Wait, he can!_ She still carried her purse which contained her cell phone and the Dark One dagger.

"Well, that was Rumplestiltskin's doing. He's the one that cursed her. He's the one that's going to remove the curse."

"What happened to you? How did you end up meeting Rumplestiltskin?" Belle asked, strategically using her questions as a form of distraction. She waited for Elsa's back to turn so she could search her purse. "It's a long story," Elsa stated.

"Apparently… we have time to kill… until he arrives. And if I'm going to die,… I'd like to know… what I'm dying for." Belle's voice quivered, each breath was excruciatingly painful.

Elsa, slightly sympathetic to Belle, consented to her request. Elsa looked at Belle who was shivering, and began her story starting with the day of her coronation. She moved about the room and eventually walked toward the window looking outside, turning her back on Belle. Belle seized the opportunity and peered into her bag reaching for her phone first. Her hands shook as she tried desperately not to make a sound that would prompt Elsa to turn around. She carefully and soundlessly managed to flip open her phone and attempted to call Rumple.

-No Service-

_Damn,_ Belle cursed to herself. She slipped the phone back into purse and reached for the dagger. It was her last resort. She trembled as she unsheathed it from her purse. She could barely feel the ends of her fingertips and couldn't tell if she was actually holding the handle's cold metal. The blade felt awkward in her hands, like a loose slippery fish. She was about to brave saying his name out loud when Elsa saw the weapon in her hands. Elsa shot an ice beam towards the dagger causing Belle to drop it instantly. The blade froze completely before hitting the ground and then shattered upon impact.

"An actual dagger to stab me in the back with, huh? How cliché?" quipped Elsa, "I admire your bravery, however, I've been _'stabbed in the back'_ before, by your husband actually. Let's not repeat history."

Belle's jaw fell open as she stared at the remains of the dagger. She couldn't believe what had just happened. How could something that magical break under such simple magic? And if so, how would that affect Rumple? Is he still alive? Did she just kill him? Would he know? Does he know? Any one of those answers would lead to two conclusions both draconian: Rumple was hurt or dead now and couldn't come to save her from her freezing peril, or he was still alive. And if he was still alive, then he knowingly gave her a fake dagger.

If he gave her the fake dagger, then what did that say about her? Did he really trust her, even after just proposing to her days ago using the dagger as the symbol of their trust? Did he ever trust her? If he lied about him trusting her, then what else did he lie about? Where's the _real_ dagger? How long had she had the look-alike? It didn't matter now. She tried to reason what had happened, but with her body getting colder and colder by the minute it was getting harder to even think, let alone focus. She needed to focus to survive. She needed hope. _Her_ hope. She couldn't afford to lose Rumple, or hope or waste any mental energy on being mad. Now wasn't the time. They could deal with the issue on the dagger later, but if and only if he was still alive. So she had to focus on the hope that he was still alive and then think about being upset later. It was the only thing that was going to save her now.

Elsa continued looking at a devastated Belle. "You're husband better show up soon. I believe you're starting to get hypothermia."

"And… y-y-your just going to let me… f-freeze to death? I've… n-n-never done…a-anything to you. How c-can you be s-so cold?"

Elsa turned her back on Belle, saying frigidly, "Cold is what I am, and the cold never bothered me anyway."

... ...

"Hey Mom!" said Henry answering his cell phone. Regina and Henry were still snowed in at Granny's.

"Hey kid, I'm trying to… uh… magically remove snow over here, but the more I remove, the more it seems pile on thicker. The sun is starting to set, do you think you guys can make it over to the convent? I think if we're going to devise a plan, then we all should be together figuring this out. There are a lot of town people here already trying to pitch in and help out. Besides, I could probably use Regina's help."

"Hold on let me ask…" Henry said holding the phone against his chest, muting the speaker. He looked up at Regina and asked, "Mom, Emma wants to know if we can make it to the convent. Everyone's congregating there to figure out what to do about Elsa. While we're there we can find out from Mother Superior about what happened to you."

"That means that we'll have to walk to my car to drive there. It's still parked at the house."

"I can drive you."

Regina scoffed, "Uh no, that's definitely not going to happen. I may look like I'm dying, but I'm not dead yet. Besides, it was real budgeting magic just figuring out how to pay for the damages you caused the last time you were behind the wheel." She rolled her eyes and groaned just thinking of the memory, "Ugh, I could kill David."

Henry lifted the phone to his head and answered quickly, "We're on our way," then closed the phone shut, ending the phone call. He stood up with his mother, and they walked out of Granny's side-by-side braving the snow. They barely made it off the property when an unfamiliar truck slowed down beside them. The stranger in the truck, noticing the two individuals, rolled down his window and called out to them, "Hey! Do you need a lift?"

Henry spoke on behalf of Regina and himself, "Yeah! We're heading to the convent. That's where some people are taking shelter from the storm."

"We're heading there as well," the stranger called back. The gentleman got out of the truck and pulled back his seat allowing room for Regina and Henry to enter. The pair gratefully and quickly entered the truck. Noticing that his guests were settled in, the benevolent stranger quickly got back into his truck and continued down the road.

"Hey! You were here earlier this morning," Henry pointed out, recognizing the stranger. "You stopped Elsa. It's Kristoff, right?"

"Yep."

"Don't you want to know our names?" Regina asked, skeptical of Kristoff's generosity.

"How can I forget our town's mayor?" Kristoff said looking at Regina through his rear-view mirror, "Evening, Mayor Mills. And of course… Henry." The young woman sitting in his passenger seat turned around and looked at the riding guests. "Hello," she said, waving at them timidly.

"Oh, my apologies! This is my good friend, Anna."

* * *

**Whenever I incorporate Disney lyrics into the dialogue, I'm always afraid that it comes out cheesy. You might have caught the few plugs from previous chapters. But what did you guys think? Good? Campy? Review and let me know. Oh! and Digital High-Fives to BreathingintheSun, Grace5231973 and Montreat11 for reviewing. You guys are awesome! Cheers my beautiful peeps.  
**


	11. Only An Act of True Love Will Suffice

"Wha…what d-do you hope… t-to learn when R-rumple gets here?" said Belle shaking in her ice cage. She gathered as much of herself as possible to preserve whatever warmth she had, kneeling on the ground hunched over. She was still hopeful about the condition of Rumplestiltskin. She aimed to get as much information as possible from her capture before her dizziness took over and would render her unconscious.

"I hope… to learn how to control my abilities. I want him to apologize for what he did…"

"I apologize my dear…" came a voice from out of nowhere. Rumplestiltskin appeared out of thin air and into the room. The ladies of the room turned to look at him. "…but you were much too dangerous and unpredictable for anyone to handle, including myself. And that… is saying a lot."

_He came!_ thought Belle, but that joy quickly turned sour only to confirm a revelation. He gave her the doppelganger. She knew she should be feeling relief and knew that disappointment was another proper response, but with her current condition she couldn't tell what she was feeling at the moment. She couldn't physically feel anything on her body since the majority of it had gone numb. Belle could hardly focus on a single thought. "…and now you have me. You don't need Belle anymore. The quarrel is between you and me, so there's no reason for you to keep her. Let her go."

Elsa walked over and stood between Rumplestiltskin and Belle's ice cage, "She's my leverage against you."

"She's not going to be much leverage if she's dead. Believe me when I say, that if _that_ happens, which it won't, then there will truly be nothing stopping me from destroying you where you stand." He growled, threatening Elsa. His authoritative voice held such gravitas that the threat reverberated within the four walls.

"You do realize that if you disappear as soon as she leaves, I will never stop going after you and making _both_ of your lives miserable." She threatened back, her stare at Rumple never wavering.

"Well, then its settled. Let her go, and we'll resolve these issues from our history like civilized people."

"So be it."

Elsa backed away from Belle's ice cage as Rumple ran forward toward Belle. He waved his hand over the bars made of ice and they magically disappeared. He knelt down beside her and cradled her in his arms. "Belle, find Emma and the others. Get help," he whispered to her. He kissed her chilled forehead before waving his hand over her. A cloud of purple smoke engulfed her and when it cleared she was gone.

"You? You need help? That's a shocker," Elsa said sarcastically with arms crossed. Rumple slowly stood to his feet. "Well, a wise person knows when to ask; a true testament of a person's intelligence. To know when to ask for help indicates you have good self-knowledge and understand your limits."

"How insightful? Belle was right. You have changed. You look different in this land. What happened? You seem to have lost that giddy spring to your step."

"It's been a long time since we last met," he said stepping out of the cage and walking slowly toward Elsa, "I've seen and experienced many things. More than any man should have to bear." He quickly took advantage of the silence and redirected the conversation, "So now it's just you me. What's your end game? What do you want?"

"I want you to teach me. I want you to heal my sister. Teach me, and I'll leave from this land in peace."

Rumplestiltskin, seeing that her plea was genuine, spoke, "The strength of your magic is synonymous with the strength of your emotions. However, magical strength is not your issue, far from it. It's your emotions. If you are emotionally unstable, then it makes it very difficult for me to teach you. Only you can control your emotions dearie, not me. If you can't master your own emotions, then there's not much I can do for you." Elsa looked down on the ground in disappointment and hopelessness. She knew there was merit to his answer. Rumple continued, "You see, the magic I wield is Dark Magic. All emotions that drive my magic are essentially dark." Elsa nodded, acknowledging, accepting and understanding everything he was saying. "What kind of magic do you think you wield? Is it Light? Dark?"

"I… I'm not sure," she said perplexed. "Everything I've done so far has seemed to do nothing but hurt people. So perhaps Dark Magic?"

"Yes, that may be, but are the emotions you use to propel your magic, Light or Dark?"

"So what are the emotions I feel when I use my powers?" she asked, rewording the question to better understand his question. Rumple nodded, waiting for her response. "I feel, fear. Anxiety. So… neither Light nor Dark."

"I wonder…" he looked at her quizzically. He drew a finger to his lip, looking at the ground while pondering. A theory was brewing in his head. "…how did you say you came into your abilities?"

"I've had them my entire life. Why? What are you thinking?" she was seeing the wheels turning in his head.

"It sounds like really old magic to me… Elemental magic, actually."

"What do you mean? How old?"

"Because your abilities seem to be limited to just ice and snow…" He was reasoning out loud, "your family… how long has your kingdom existed? How far back do you know of your family tree?" he wasn't about to speculate until he had more information.

"Well, as far as I know, our royal bloodlines can supposedly be traced back to the original Danish gods. Are you suggesting that I may be a Demigod of some sort?"

"That's a bit of a stretch. Don't you think? But maybe…," now he was speculating, "…something relative to that nature. I can't be certain. But if that's the case, then your magic runs deeper than my own. You see, deities are powerful, mystical entities that gain their strength from their believers. Love, is indeed a powerful emotion, and can break any curse. But if one were to harness that kind of power from the absolute adoration of believers, then that's an entirely different kind of magic all on its own. That is, if you believe in that sort of thing. The only question now is, what do you believe in?"

... ...

Members of the community filed into the convent. Some of the individuals Emma knew personally; Leroy, Leroy's six other brothers, Robin, his merry men, Marian and their son, Hook and her mother. Mother Superior and the other nuns stood inside the warm and inviting building receiving guests with blankets and hot beverages. Then at last, Regina entered Henry as well as a few other strangers she never met before. Mary-Margret came over to Emma to see how she was doing, watching people enter the church with her.

"Where's Dav… Dad?" asked Emma. Calling him _'Dad' _was still getting some used to, though she was sure that over time she'd get used to it. "He decided to take Neal and meet up with the others from the other end of town who couldn't make it here and take shelter at Town Hall instead. That's where Marco and Dr. Hopper are trying to calm the masses."

"I just assumed that I would be talking to him… here. And that you'd be…"

"Stuck at home with a baby?" Mary-Margret looked at her unbelievingly, "Emma, you know I'm much more capable than that. Besides, David volunteered."

"He did?"

"Yep. He even said, 'you look after one child. I'll look after the other'. So it was agreed to divide our powers so that at least one parent was with one of our children," said Mary-Margret smiling at Emma.

People were settling down in the pews. The nuns moved about the church handing out whatever blankets they had along with hot cups of chocolate or tea. Towards the end of the church by the altar, Mother Superior stood at the highest step talking to a few individuals. Henry led Regina to the first pew and the two strangers that Emma noticed with them, sat on the opposite front pew facing Mother Superior.

"I suppose I should get the dialogue started," said Emma to Mary-Margret, walking down the center aisle towards the altar. "Alrighty, listen up people!" she said, raising her voice loud enough to be audible from the other end of the building. "This snow storm doesn't seem to be letting up. So for the time being, be prepared to spend the night here. The convent was generous for offering their building as a place of refuge, but we can't stay here forever. Sit tight for now, and if you have any information or resources to contribute to our getting out of this mess, then meet us at the front of the church. That's where we'll be hosting an open dialogue."

People shuffled and moved, adjusting and coordinating their new positions; either claiming their spot for the night or moving toward the front to contribute or listen in on the dialogue. Regina could see Robin and Marian move closer to the front pews, but still keeping a huge distance from her and where she sat. Robin glanced up at Regina from a far, giving her a torn half smile. Her heart broke a little bit inside, and she groaned from the physical ache that resulted from that glance. She faced forward, gripping at her chest with one hand. She sat there and clutched Henry's arm trying to steady herself, waiting for the pain to pass. She moaned, grimacing through the pain.

"Mom?" said Henry holding on to his mother's hand. The white in her hair expanded a little more. "I'm ok," she lied, coasting through the pain. She inhaled and exhaled the pain away and she forced herself to continue looking forward. Henry, however, turned around in his seat looking at the people who had come forward and noticed Robin Hood from across the way. "You really like him, don't you?"

"Who?" Regina said, feigning ignorance. Henry looked at her incredulously, causing Regina to look at him when he didn't respond. "What?"

"It's just nice to know that you have the capacity to love more than just me. It means that you now have two reasons to live."

Henry hugged Regina, trying to give her as much comfort as any son can provide for his mother. Mary-Margret walked past the two, noticing another familiar person in the front pew opposite of them. "Kristoff?"

"Snow!" said Kristoff, standing up to greet Snow. He turned to the woman behind him and gestured her forward for introductions. "Snow, this is Princess Anna."

"So this is Princess Anna," said Snow making a connection from a story Kristoff told long ago. She reached for Anna's and held it most amicably. "I've heard so much about you."

"All good things I hope," replied Anna.

"Yes, all good things."

"Kristoff was telling me in his horse-less carriage-"

"-truck," interrupted Kristoff. "Yes…" continued Anna holding her fingers nervously, "…in his _truck_ how you guys met. How fortunate that the Blue Fairy was there for him."

"Yes," agreeing Snow White, "though the Blue Fairy is also known in Storybrooke as Mother Superior."

"A strange title for a fairy."

"Yeah, I see how that would seem strange. Did Kristoff mention that Storybrooke is the result of a curse?"

"Yes. Actually, we're here because I've been afflicted by a curse, and we were hoping to speak with… um… Mother Superior about it."

Snow looked at the young woman's coincidental white streak in her hair like Regina's. "Dear…" Snow said gently touching the white in Anna's hair, "were you hit in the heart by Elsa?"

"No… I uh… was cursed with a frozen heart by Rumplestiltskin. It's a long story."

"Kristoff," interrupted Mother Superior, "it certainly has been a long time hasn't it?"

"Mother Superior, Regina and Anna seem to be cursed by the same thing," observed Snow telling the Blue Fairy. "Yes," said Blue, "they are."

Regina, upon hearing her name be spoken without her presence, decided to walk over to where her name was being said. "What about me?" she stood next to them with arms crossed. Henry remained in close proximity of his mother, eavesdropping on the conversation. Emma, noticing two powerful people standing next to each other, sensed a bit of tension and gravitated towards the conversation to mediate any hostility if any were to happen. Hook kept his distance from the group, but still kept in close distance of Emma. Blue continued, "I was just saying how you and Anna are both inflicted by the same curse. You both have been cursed with frozen hearts."

"What does that mean?"

"Can someone be cured of this curse?"

"What will happen to them?" said Robin joining in on the conversation. He quickly looked at Regina, but then back at Mother Superior doing his best to not cause Regina any more harm.

"We all know that you cannot live without a heart. To be cursed with a frozen heart means that your heart will inevitably freeze completely over and therefore, cease to live. Only an act of True Love can break any curse. How soon a person succumbs to this sort of death really depends on the resiliency of the heart in question; sooner for weaker hearts or acts of heart break and longer for stronger hearts or with reason to push and live on."

"An act of True Love, is that all?" snapped Regina, her cynicism masking her fear over her own mortality. Kristoff, upon hearing the news, felt the same as Regina. The affected parties resumed sitting in their respective sections comforting each other. Emma wanted the conversation to lead to them finding a way out of their frozen dilemma, but it was much too soon after hearing the terminal diagnosis and the party had broken up already. Emma felt the time crunch. Every minute they stayed in the church, the deeper the snow would get and the more challenging it would be to get out. Snow, seeing her daughter's distress, came over and gave a comforting hug. "I'm going to go find a signal," she said brandishing her cell phone, "and check in on your father. Don't worry. We'll figure something out. Give everyone some time to soak in what they've just learned. We can resume strategizing our next move then."

"I just hope that by then it's not too late."

... …

The purple smoke faded away and Belle found herself in a warm, dimly lit room. "H-hello?" strained Belle's voice. She prayed that someone had heard her. It was taking all the strength she had to support her body to sit up. She could hear the thumps of two people running from upstairs making their way downstairs to the lobby. Rumple had magically transported her to the lobby area of Granny's Bed and Breakfast. "Belle!" shouted Ruby seeing Belle on the floor. "Granny, it's Belle!"

Ruby ran towards the shivering Belle, helping her sit up. "How did you get in here? We're buried deep in snow. Why aren't you in one of the two town shelters?"

"It's Elsa….R-rumple s-s-sent me… to-to get help," tried Belle. Granny grabbed whatever linens and warm items she could find and handed them to Ruby who then wrapped them around Belle. "She needs to get to a hospital. I think she's experiencing hypothermia."

"No!... n-no, please don't! I can't go back there," Belle begged. It was the last place she wanted to be, too traumatized by her previous visits there.

"Ruby, help me get her up the stairs and into a bed," directed Granny. It took some time, but step by step Granny and Ruby had Belle under each arm and hoisted her up the stairs and into one of the vacant rooms. They laid Belle gently into the bed and Granny continued ordering Ruby, "I'll put the pot on for tea and start filling the water bladders. Go fetch the heating pad. If she's wet, give her some of your spare clothes. She needs to be warm and dry as quickly as possible."

* * *

**Hmm... Elsa inheriting powers from a Danish God? I definitely took liberty with that. Lol! But hey... who knows? I at least left the story open to the idea of Gods and thus possibly incorporating Hercules down the line. That is, if the story merits his introduction to suit my needs. Who knows? We shall see. Anyways, I took much pleasure writing the interaction of Rumple and Elsa. It was my favorite interaction of this chapter. Poor Belle. She is Rumple's heart. And just like all hearts on this show... well... you know. They're magical, they can be torn out, manipulated, crushed, etc...  
**

**Gold stars to Montreat11 and Grace5231973 for reviewing. You guys Rock!**


	12. Sherwood Forest

A hooded figure took cover in the darkness of the trees. Nightfall always made a good companion for the cloaked man. He stared at the building before him reading the layout of the castle; just two guards carrying torches making their rounds. A light flickered on within the tower closest to him. The man threaded his head through his bow and looked carefully at the guards. _Timing and patience. Always take those extra seconds, _he thought to himself_. _The camouflaged man waited patiently for the guards to pass. They were too involved in the noise of their own conversation to notice a hooded man dart behind them. He dashed into the clearing and made his way to the tower. He inconspicuously crept up the building, using exposed brick and stone to propel him up. He focused carefully on one limb at a time, placing a hand or a foot meticulously on each rock. His steady breathing helped keep him calm and collected, warily looking and feeling for any unstable stone.

He reached the top in a matter of minutes and approached the window's opening cautiously. The skillful wall-climber glanced into the dimly lit room and scanned for any unintended guests. Seeing that the coast was clear, he lifted himself into the room and immediately began searching the drawers for something precious. _Empty._

"I told you, Robin," said a beautiful maiden just beyond the veil, she entered the room and bravely stepped toward the hooded stranger, "eventually there would be nothing else left for you to steal in this room."

Robin Hood removed his hood, smirked and replied, "Ah, but you see my dear Maid Marian, I've one last treasure to steal…" he stepped slickly toward Maid Marian who was grinning playfully back at him. He smoothly wrapped his arms around her and their willing lips met for a kiss, "…I've come to steal your heart. Come with me Marian, tonight."

"I've told you Robin! That dirty rat for a Sheriff has me hostage. As long as he thinks he has me, he'll let the people in my village live in peace," Marian groaned out of disgust for the Sheriff. "The worst part is, he's been stealing money, manipulating and torturing my people to display whatever power he thinks he has to look good in front of our tyrant king."

"Well, I don't live by any king, and it sounds like the Sheriff is getting the better end of that deal you made with him. Why not expose him for the belligerent fool that he is?"

"What do you propose?"

"You see, I know a thing or two about these authoritative royalty types. What they don't understand is that in order to have power, one must gain the respect of its people. It's through the masses that a leader can have the power to usurp even a king. I've seen it done! You have that power Marian, because you have the respect of your village," Marian was listening, but still had a perplexed and doubtful look on her face. Robin continued, "So… in order to take away the Sheriff's power, take away the people he supposedly has power over. _Your_ people, Marian. Convince your village to evacuate to Sherwood Forest tonight. There'll be such a quick unanticipated vacuum of power that the Sheriff will be on his arse faster than you can say 'diamond'."

"A whole village?" Marian said hopelessly, separating herself from him. "Robin, we were barely surviving as it was. I was ransacking the royal kitchens and giving them to Friar Tuck to disperse, but even still that wasn't enough."

Robin Hood puffed up his chest and confidently smiled at her, "There's a saying, amongst us Forest Folk, 'Be grateful for what you've got and make the most of what you have.' And it's true, it's a good motto. But I'm not gonna lie, we've seen some dark times and we've been pushed, but that has only forced us to become… well, let's just say, _creative_."

"You mean s_teal_."

"No more than what you've been doing down in the Royal kitchens." Robin walked over to the window and straddled the ledge. He threw out his hand to her, gesturing for her to take it, "Come with me Marian! Let's escape your ghastly prison and save your people."

… …

…_**Present Day…**_

Robin sat in the back of the church and turned to look over at Regina. From where he sat, all he could see was the back of her head. Disappointed that he wasn't able to get a good look at her face, he turned back around and faced forward again. He saw Marian, who was talking and bonding with their son and for the first time in his life felt emotionally conflicted. He turned looking over his shoulder again at Regina. It broke his heart to see the two loves of his life in the same room. His conflicted feelings tore at his soul. He sat there and pondered. What did he see in Regina? What did she see in him? Redemption was what he told her and to himself. Redemption is the atonement for guilt, but guilt for what? What was he guilty of? Perhaps the feeling of guilt was their common ground. They both had a mutual need for redemption, but was it possible not feeling worthy of it?

It was Regina who mentioned two interesting facts: that it was Fairy Dust that directed her to her soul mate and that Fairy Dust is never wrong. That same Fairy Dust led her to him. They were soul mates. What did that mean exactly? _What is a soul mate?_ Robin thought deeply. He supposed it was like a best friend, but more. They were never exactly friends in the Enchanted Forest, but he wondered, could they have been? Would it have even been possible? In that missing year, they certainly understood each other. Perhaps, if given enough time, they could have been friends too.

There was something about her that he found magnetic. Her looks were striking, but the way she carried herself was something to behold. Her confidence, cunning and ambition were the most extraordinary features he found attractive about her. They weren't typical qualities of women he had ever encountered. But then again, what did he know about women of royalty? They were people from two different dichotomies, two different classes, different statures –two different worlds. Women from her world might have typically behaved that way. Perhaps it was the timing of the curse and the nature of the curse itself that made their pairing even possible. Storybrooke, although the result of a curse, brought everyone on the same level of social status; no King, Queen, Prince, Princess, wizard, fairy, dwarf or peasant was above him or below him. They all worked together and they were all equals here.

Did he really believe in that? In social class? He personally didn't believe in being ruled by a king so technically, he didn't believe in status either. He viewed each person as they were and how they contributed to the collective group. From his perspective, Regina contributed and sacrificed on more than one occasion. Despite the prickly exterior she would put up, he had witnessed her contribute her valuable thoughts, experience and knowledge to her family all while sacrificing everything she had to get back to her son, Henry. He believed that it was in these titles of grandeur that people became consumed by their label losing themselves in the process. He appreciated her for who she was as he knew her right now. Strip away the ranking and Regina was an independent and ambitious woman, who had a soft spot for children and would sacrifice anything to be happy with her loved ones. Wouldn't anyone? He understood that and could even relate to her in that way. Surely that would qualify him as a best friend. And as her, possibly, only best friend, he would be the one person in the world who would know her better than anyone else. Could it also be possible that she would be the only person in the world to know him better? Know him even better than himself?

Throughout his romantic affair with Regina, prior to Marian's return, he felt like a new man. A better and more refined definition of himself and he liked it. She made him a better person. Actually, she didn't make him she _inspired_ him to be a better person. And that feeling of finally discovering the best version of yourself was a feeling that he would carry with him forever.

Stealing, cunning, stealth, and taking to survive had been what he knew best. She left him wanting nothing but the happiness she'd constantly leave him feeling. He never had a person give him anything and she gave him that. She gave him a reason to love again, a purpose to live on and hope to never have to resort to steal again. There was more to life than stealing. There was more to him than that and that's what she taught him. Usually he had been so distracted and consumed with the next heist that he never stopped to wonder if he was truly living. Regina helped him stop to wonder. He had caught himself surprised over the revelation.

Regina's incredible potential for good was what he saw in her. He once saw that same potential in Marian when no one else would and he found it exceptionally attractive and exciting. Like some shrouded secret only he was able to know. However, he felt selfish in that knowledge. He wanted everyone to see that same great potential in Regina as he did. He believed in her. Even if nobody else did, he knew her and accepted her for what she was; a woman who had seen too many horrors and experienced too much heart break. He was certain that although her actions were unjustifiable, if his sanity was pushed to the extreme and he had nothing else to lose, his heart and path would have surely gone dark too.

He had to admit to himself, his heart did beat just a little bit harder whenever he saw her. It was in that moment that he realized that he loved her. And that not only did he love her, he would always love her and nothing would ever change that. She was still human, just like him. They were people of blemished history and sordid reputations, but deep beneath the personas was a kindred spirit—_his_ soul mate. He knew about Daniel which spawned her enacting the first curse. He knew about her crossing realms to Neverland, to the Enchanted Forest and then back to Storybrooke again to be with her son, Henry. He knew that however flawed her approach to love was, her love ran deep. He taught her a new definition of how to love and he loved her for it.

"Robin!" Marian whispered harshly. Their group had been talking amongst themselves at the convent deciding what to do about their homes. Robin tore his gaze away from Regina and returned his focus on Marian. "Robin, we were just thinking of returning to our homes in the woods once the snow lets up."

"That's good. Let's do that," he replied briefly. Marian stared him down and bitterly glimpsed over at Regina. She surveyed Robin's enamored demeanor and caught on to it. She was suspicious of his thoughts and was disgusted if not insulted by his previous infatuation. The anger brewed within her. _Of all women, why her?_ She thought furiously. She decided to nip these feelings in the bud by getting what was in her heart out and off her chest. She frowned and blurted, "Do you have feelings for Regina?"

"What?" he retorted. His mind was caught off-guard by her blunt question.

"I see you constantly looking at her," she said angrily nodding in the direction of Regina, "You're distant from the rest of the group, including me. I've heard whispers amongst your men of your interactions with her prior to my arrival here. Are the rumors true? Do you have feelings for her?" Her eyes pierced into his as she saw the answer within the depth of his soul. When he didn't reply right away, she exclaimed, _"You do?!"_ She raised her eyebrows out of shock and disbelief. Robin could see her heart breaking before him.

"Marian…" he started softly, failing miserably at trying to comfort her, his face expressing a mixture of emotions. She shirked away his consoling advances.

"No!" she tried cutting him off. She couldn't bear to believe what she was hearing. She turned her face away from him burying her head in her hands.

"Marian!" he cried out, reaching for her shoulder to look at her face.

"How could you?!" she exclaimed, tears falling from her eyes. All feelings of hurt and rejection were pouring through every tear that fell. Her voice steadily getting louder and louder, "She has hurt or killed people… Our neighbors? _Our friends? _She was going to kill me. How do you explain that?"

He looked away for an instant, struggling to find the right words. He took his fingers and quickly traced his lips with them as if that would moisten his now dry mouth. He looked back at Marian and did the only thing he could think of. He needed to be honest with her. She deserved to know and she deserved his honesty, it was the least he could do. "There's no easy way to explain it. But you deserve the truth from me," he paused searching for the right words to explain his complicated feelings, "... I have feelings for her. I'm not expecting you to understand, except that things have happened and that... people _do_ change."

"Obviously," she replied indignantly.

Anna and Kristoff walked past Robin's group of people and walked directly toward Emma and Snow. They reached the pew of the mother and daughter and Kristoff said, "Snow, we're going to go find Elsa."

"What?!" exclaimed Emma, "We're buried in like ten feet of snow! How do you even know where to begin?"

"I know my sister…"

"_Elsa's your sister?"_ asked Emma in disbelief. Snow patted her daughter's knee to steady her. Snow leaned into her daughter and whispered into her ear, "It's a long story. I'll explain it to you later."

"…Yes. Well, I have a feeling that she will have wanted to retrace her steps and cling to the last thing she remembered… and that was to rebuild her ice castle near a mountain and isolate herself. And if what the Blue Fairy says is true, then I would rather be with my family when the curse takes over."

"Well, let us come with you and support you!" suggested Mary-Margret.

"I'm afraid that's probably not the best idea. You see, my sister is actually quite the recluse. I never understood why until recently… well, long ago… well… Let's just say that strangers make her nervous. We," she said looking at Kristoff, "learned that the hard way."

"There's got to be something that you know that could help us defrost Storybrooke," Emma stated concernedly.

"Let them go Swan," inserted Hook, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder, "if there's anything we've learned from our last bout with sisters, we should probably let them try to settle things on their own first."

Just then, Little John walked up behind Kristoff and Anna, trying to get Emma's attention. "Hey, uh, the snow's let up. The rest of us," he said using his thumb to point back to the rest of his party, "are going to go home to salvage what's left of it." He looked over at Mother Superior and waved at her, "Thank you Mother! And tell Friar Tuck he's welcome back at our camp anytime."

The Blue Fairy nodded from across the church, acknowledging Little John's gratitude. Within minutes the convent doors opened again and a chilled gust made its way toward the front of the church. Men and women from Robin Hood's camp were filing back out the doors with Anna and Kristoff following immediately after. The convent doors closed leaving the half empty chamber silent.

* * *

**Not gonna lie, this was one of the most awkwardly written chapters I've written. Not that the content, or what was happening in the story with the characters was awkward. The content is still good, but when I went to polish and edit not only did it take me freakin' forever, but I wasn't sure how to express Robin's thoughts in the tense I was using before. I've ruined the reading rhythm by changing the style of writing and I deeply apologize. My bad. Anyways, it's out there. Phew! Not to mention that it took me a couple days to justify and make Outlaw Queen work. Rumbelle I get, obviously, OutlawQueen... that took some additional research. So... this is what I got and what made sense to me. If there are any OutlawQueen shippers out there reading this... help me out. Review your thoughts/opinions/feelings/reasons on how I did on that relationship and/or tell me what I'm missing.  
**

**And thanks to BreathingintheSun, Montreat11 and Grace5231973 for your comments. You guys are champs for reading this nifty literature experiment of mine. :)**


	13. Torch and Pitchforks

Robin could see the fog of breaths ahead of him breathing ahead of him. Getting to their campsite was taking a bit longer than usual because the typical paths were covered in snow and difficult to read. When the party finally reached their site it all had collapsed and fallen apart. Some trees had fallen on tents and makeshift canopies due to the snowstorm. The same green foliage that used to camouflage and insulate their homes now laid buried deep below the snow's surface. The people of Sherwood Forest were devastated. They were not prepared for inclement weather such as this. What were they to do? All of their tools and supplies were hidden in the snow.

"What now?!" shouted a man. "Are we just supposed to wait for the snow and ice to melt?"

"We've never had weather like this in Storybrooke," said another man in their group. "There was no way of knowing to prepare for something like this."

"The snow witch, Elsa, is to blame for all of this," said Marian softly. The rest of the men turned to look at her; her words were just audible enough for them to hear what she had said.

"What?" said Robin, holding Roland up on his shoulders to avoid his little body from getting lost and wet in the deep snow. He moved in closer to Marian to hear her better.

"In the convent we learned from her sister, Anna, that Elsa was the one who conjured this storm," Marian looked up into the sea of faces and addressed them publicly, "Again, we have royals and people of power trying to rule over us. We did nothing wrong to this Elsa. There was no reason for her to attack us. That's what this is. This is an attack on us and our livelihoods."

"But we've nothing to fight against this beastly cold mistress," called out another man in their group.

"That's not true!" argued Marian, her voice taking on a more authoritative tone. "We have fire! We have our bows and our wits! Let us show this Ice Queen that she does not rule us. _We_ rule us!"

A few men cheered after Marian's comment. With her inspirational words, she was quickly turning the mood of the people from despair to motivation. She continued, "These are _our_ homes, _our_ kingdoms! Our kingdoms have been attacked. And as queens and kings of our kingdoms we must defend what is rightfully ours! Come with me!"

"Yeah!" roared out the crowd in enthusiasm. Men were making torches from the spare wood they could find from their shattered homes. People were ripping pieces of dry clothing and wrapping it around the ends of these pieces of wood and lighting them on fire with lighters they had in their pockets. People were walking around the broken camp for whatever weapons they could find.

"Marian!" shouted Robin. "We are not handling this situation wisely. There are things about this foe we still don't know about. We need to go back to the convent and find out more about this Elsa."

"You can go back to the convent with Roland if you so desire," she said with a scornful look, "but the rest of us are not going to wait idly by for the royal family to do something and continue making poor decisions on our behalf. That is not us. That is not who we are."

There was a look of fire in her eyes that Robin never noticed before. It was fierce and frightening and it left him speechless. She turned away from him and cried out into the crowd, "Anna spoke last of Elsa's whereabouts toward the highest point in Storybrooke. That's where we are heading." Men from the camp finished collecting their torches and artillery and followed Marian, leading the mob to storm Elsa's home.

… …

"…and that's the tale of _The Lost Kingdom of Arendelle_," finished Mary-Margaret to her daughter. Hook, Regina, Henry and Emma sat nearby as she told the tale.

"The way it was explained to me, the moral of the story was obedience and the consequence of not listening to your parents." Her snide remark made everyone's heads turn disdainfully. "What? The two sisters lost their parents and were left to figure things out for themselves, ignoring the advice of their parents in the process… and of course not thinking of the consequences to their actions." Regina looked scathingly back over at Emma. Emma looked away, trying not to look hurt by her last statement.

"I'm just finding it ironic that there are fairy tales in the realm of Fairy Tale Land. I thought that all fairy tales came only from Fairy Tale Land. I thought you guys were pretty much the only original ones," Emma thought, perplexed.

Mother Superior dropped by, happening to eavesdrop on the conversation and touched Emma's shoulder as if calmly alerting her of her presence, "Emma, there are as many fairy tales as there are fairies. And there are as many fairies as there are stars in the sky. You, yourself, right now, are a living fairy tale. Every creature, being, entity that is alive or not alive has its own tale to tell. The problem is, not all are recorded so we don't ever hear everyone's. I think you're still too accustomed to the world outside of Storybrooke. The Enchanted Forest is _your _Fairy Tale Land because coincidentally, there are tales that come from a realm that happen to have fairies. Is it so hard to believe that tales from our realm have derivations from other realms as well?"

"I suppose… other realms… portals…" Emma thought. Something was clicking in her head and couldn't quite put her finger on it just yet. Mary-Margret gently laid her hand on her daughter's knee. "What is it?" her mother asked.

Emma's eyes appeared as though they were focused on the ground, but thoughts were clearly passing through the forefront of her mind. "I can't help but believe this is my fault..."

"I could have told you that," said Regina nonchalantly. "And quite frankly, it wouldn't surprise me."

"Mom," interjected Henry, "You're not helping." At Henry's honest statement, Regina decided that Henry was right and that it was best to reserve her strength and keep her mouth shut. "Go on Mom…" said Henry looking at Emma encouragingly. He smiled at a stunned Emma who looked back her son gratefully. She resumed her thought process.

"It can't be a coincidence that Hook and I arrived from the time portal and the next day this Queen Elsa shows up. We were really careful to not alter anything from the timeline." Emma thought back retracing her steps. "If it wasn't for Rumplestiltskin returning the clothes we borrowed…" All of sudden, Emma felt closer to an explanation as if an epiphany was just bubbling to the surface, "Killian…" she immediately turned looking for him. She found him sitting just behind her, studious and reserved just waiting for the opportunity to be helpful. Her eyes made contact with his. "When we were in Rumplestiltskin's castle, he put us in that weird room with no doors or windows, you had accidentally touched an item there…"

"Yes, but as you recall, I had set it down. Besides, I had only brought back one item, and it was that lass you insisted on bringing back with us."

"I know, but that time portal had some pull to it. It may have sucked it or another item from that room as well."

"The Dark One did say, right before putting us in that cursed place, that it was 'Someplace safe… Somewhere even he didn't go because the magic was either too dark or too unpredictable for him'. It may very well be possible that's how Elsa made it into Storybrooke, Swan."

Just then Snow's cell phone started going off. "It's Ruby!" Snow flipped open her cell and answered, "Hello?" They could hear Ruby's murmured voice on the other end. While everyone waited with bated breath to hear news from Ruby, Regina pointed out, "That could also explain why our favorite imp has been conveniently M.I.A. He must have done something to incur her wrath on us. And Elsa did mention wanting to speak with him before cursing me."

"Yeah, and I still haven't heard anything back from Belle all day either," agreed Emma.

"Mmhmm. Oh! Ok, thank you! Ok, I'll tell the others." Mary-Margret flipped her phone ending the call. "Ruby said that Belle arrived magically inside the lobby of the Bed and Breakfast. She's suffering from hypothermia and is now bed-ridden, but before that she managed to communicate that Mr. Gold had sent her to get help with Elsa."

"If Mr. Gold needs help, that can never be a good sign," remarked Emma.

"Aye," concurred Hook.

All of a sudden the convent doors flew open. Robin walked in carrying Roland on his shoulders. When they entered the church's warm room Robin had set him down and Roland ran straight for Regina giving her an unexpected hug. "Roland!" Regina said out of surprise. She looked up at Robin, making his way toward the group. "Robin!" her heart skipped a beat out of the welcomed surprise. "Why is your hair all white?" asked Roland innocently, looking up at her.

Regina was at a loss for words, but Henry gladly answered for her, "She's sporting a new look."

"What's going?" ask Mary-Margret. "What happened?" asked Snow's daughter.

"The rest of my group departed only moments ago," Robin said trying to catch his breath, "Our camp had been decimated by the snow storm caused by Elsa. I'm afraid they're heading to confront Elsa right now. I insisted that they come back here for more information, but Marian insisted and led the charge."

"What's their plan? To shout angry plights of injustice into the wind while carrying torches and pitchforks?" Emma asked with pure sarcasm, hoping that people didn't still resolve to cliché archaic ways.

"Yeah… that pretty much sums it up," Robin replied simply.

Emma rolled her eyes and heaved a stressful sigh. "Great…" she said exhaustively. "Come on, guys. Let's go stop a mob," Emma stated getting up from the pew. They all took her cue and got up to follow suit following her down the aisle. Henry and Regina stood up together.

"I think I might stay," she said to her son.

"Ok Mom," he said as he hugged his mother. She returned the affection by kissing him on the head saying, "I love you." Henry buried his head in her chest, hearing the cursed heart that beat for him. "I love you too," he said lovingly back. They parted and Henry left his adopted mother for his birth mother on their quest to stop a mob. Their group all walked hurriedly down the aisle and out the convent doors leaving Mother Superior, Roland, Robin and Regina left in the church.

"Mother Superior," called out Robin. "Could you please look after my little one? I would be forever in your debt."

"Yes, of course. It would be our pleasure," assured the Blue Fairy. Blue walked over to Regina who sweetly offered one of Roland's hands leading him to the kitchen. Blue whispered something into Roland's ear, then Roland excitedly shouted back at his father, "Bye daddy! We're gonna get hot chocolate!" and with his other little hand, he waved 'goodbye' toward Regina. Regina smiled lovingly, waving courteously back as Roland exited the room into the kitchens. The two left the atrium, leaving Robin and Regina to share the silence that now fell upon them.

"Am I to assume that we will never speak to each other ever again?" asked Robin extending his hand toward Regina.

"I thought you're still with Marian," she said coldly, standing there looking at his hand. His gesture left her feeling hesitant, fighting the natural temptation to automatically take it.

"People change," he said giving her a warm smile. "Besides, if I even have a snowball's chance in hell of coming out of this alive, I'm going to need your magical abilities to save my hide."

"Mmm," she teasingly scoffed at him, looking down at his hand and finally taking it, "Bows and arrows not cutting it for ya?"

"A grown man should know when to admit to himself when he is in too deep, and I…" he caught Regina by her waist as her knees buckled and was falling forward toward him. She was clearly in no shape to do any climbing, but if she were to spend her last moments wisely, like Anna, she too would rather be with the ones she loved. She regained her balance and was finally able to stand up on her own again. He knew she was too proud to say thank you or apologize. So to eliminate her awkward moment, he defused it by finishing his sentence and played it off as if nothing had happened, "…I am in too deep."

"You're in too deep?" she asked skeptically. He nodded plainly and honestly. "I'll let you know when you're in too deep."

"Well then," he said offering the crook of his arm, "Would you do me the honor of accompanying me to let me know when that happens?"

"Sure," she said smiling back at him.

* * *

**Thanks to Grace5231973 for reviewing! I know that the previous chapter wasn't popular, but I felt it had to be done. If you're going to pull the bandaid off, pull it off quickly and get it over with. You know what I mean? On a side note, I did want to let everyone know that I may not be able to post new chapters this coming up weekend. I'm going hiking. To... I don't know... step away from my computer for a moment and actually enjoy nature. Maybe breathe some oxygen. I heard that's good for the brain. But I'll be back. I'll try to post something if I can. But I doubt it if I can't even think straight from being too exhausted. But we'll see. I hope to talk to you guys soon!  
**


	14. Family Outings

"Just relax your mind…" Rumple coached while Elsa focused on trying to transform an ice sculpture. His tone toward her reflected that of impatience, which put even more pressure on Elsa. "You're thinking!"

"Gah!" blurted Elsa out of frustration. Her arms were raised as magic passed through her hands toward the figure made of ice.

"…Feel it, your magic. Reach deep down into yourself and ask why you are doing this," Rumple said getting frustrated, "Let that drive your emotions and feed your magic to do your bidding…"

The ice sculpture was getting bigger and bigger. She halted her magic. She heaved an exasperated sigh before saying, "This isn't working."

"Obviously," he said shortly. "…because you are allowing your fear to control you. I cannot help you with that. And since that is the case, you no longer need my assistance."

"I most certainly still need your assistance."

"Ah, but you see, what you fear… is me." Rumple strolled around Elsa pointing to himself, "My mere presence intimidates you."

Elsa scoffed at his insinuation, "Don't flatter yourself."

"It's quite alright. I do have that affect on people. You're not the first, and you won't be the last. Besides, you don't need me anymore dearie, because you already know what you need to do. You just need to allow yourself to do it. And on that note," he continued while strolling toward the exit of the room, turning his back toward her, "I've fulfilled my end of the bargain. Now if you don't mind, I'm going to go take care of my wife…"

"I _DO _mind," she said as Mr. Gold turned back around to face her, "and you're not going anywhere!"

She raised her hands and shot icy blasts towards Rumplestiltskin. He lifted his hands out of defense casting his own blocking spell. For a moment, it had appeared that Rumplestiltskin was putting up a good fight, when Anna and Kristoff entered the room.

"Elsa!" shouted Anna. Kristoff held on to her attempting to shield and protect her from the magic that was ricocheting from the duel. The temporary interlude was enough to distract Rumplestiltskin, allowing Elsa just enough leverage to overpower him. When Elsa saw her sister it forced her to remember that it was Rumplestiltskin that had cursed Anna's heart. This recollection only fueled her anger and triggered a thought and shouted, "How about I give you the same fate as you did my sister?" and in one swift powerful gesture, she trapped Rumplestiltskin in an ice block. Her particular brand of magic had overpowered him and in that split second distraction rendered him immobile. Seeing that Elsa had won the feud, Kristoff loosened his grip on Anna and Anna sprang towards her sister.

"Anna, what are you doing here?" said Elsa now shouting at her sister. "I told you to go away! I'm not safe to be around. And you!" Elsa turned looking at Kristoff. "Why didn't you stop her?"

"Your majesty, your sister doesn't have much time. She needs you."

"No she doesn't."

"Yes she does Elsa! You need to quit deserting your family and start facing some hard truths."

"Excuse me?! I will not stand for such impertinence. This," Elsa said pointing a finger at Rumplestiltskin, "is what happens to those who challenge my authority."

"Well your authority only pertains to your kingdom. And guess what? We're the only ones left."

"I can't deal with this insolence," said Elsa. And with a flick of her wrist, a cold wind pushed Kristoff up against the wall.

"Elsa, what are you doing?!" said Anna as she watched helplessly from the side. Thick serpents of ice slithered quickly around Kristoff's body, wrapping, binding and trapping him against the wall. Kristoff wiggled as he struggled to escape from his ice bondage, but it was futile. The final binding secured his head in place covering his mouth to silence his voice.

"Elsa…" Anna said disappointedly, tears running cold down her face. She looked at her sister in shock and disbelief, "What happened to you?"

"What happened?" she retorted mockingly, almost angry. "What happened was that the good girl you once knew is gone!"

Anna ran over to Kristoff, placing a hand on his bindings. Elsa looked over at Anna who was sobbing as she struggled to loosen his bindings. Elsa watched Anna's hair turn completely white. Her fierce demeanor softened quickly as she saw the pain she was inflicting upon her sister. She looked at Anna regretfully and said softly, "Oh Anna…"

Elsa walked timidly over to Anna, wanting to touch her shoulder to console her, but instead she said apologetically, "I'm so sorry."

Anna continued sobbing, leaving Elsa feeling awful and helpless. Elsa reflected on the monster she felt she had become. "Anna… what have I done?" she asked rhetorically. An awkward moment passed and she finally came clean, "Kristoff's right. I'm not the Queen of anything anymore. There's nobody from our kingdom left. It's… it's just us."

She turned toward Anna and gave a defeated and most fatigued sigh, "Anna, I'm scared." She admitted nervously, "I've always been scared of my powers. Long ago, when we were little, I almost hurt you and because of that, I've always been ashamed of them. I was ashamed because that meant that I was a danger to my own people... a danger to you. That's why I've never told you. That's why I had to push myself away and tried so hard to conceal myself from you. I didn't want you fearing me like everyone else had or thinking any less of me."

Elsa looked down at her hands anxiously. "Since that day, I feared any interaction with another person, always wondering; could this be the day I hurt someone? Or could it be the next? I dreaded that moment. Now…" Elsa moved a little closer toward Anna. Anna's back was still turned away from her. "…that moment has come and passed. I'm so tired. I'm tired of hiding who I am. I'm tired of being afraid of me. Oh, Anna… what am I going to do?"

Just then, Elsa and Anna heard what sounded like a bunch of shouting in the nearby woods. Marian and the merry men had finally reached Elsa's ice mansion.

… …

"There! Over There!" pointed Emma leading the group through the snow. The sun had already set and their eyes were slowly adjusting to the darkness making it difficult for people to see what Emma was pointing at. She pulled out a flashlight from inside her red jacket and shined a light on the ground. "Tracks! They must have traveled through here."

"I see it," acknowledged Hook. They could see a man-made trail snake its way up the hill, making it an easy path to follow.

"I see it too," echoed Regina from behind. Hook, Emma, Mary-Margaret and Henry turned behind them seeing Regina and Robin catch up to their group.

"Mom!" shouted Henry worriedly. He ran toward his mom and hugged her. "I thought you said you were going to stay behind."

"I was but…" Regina said looking fondly over at Robin, "something changed my mind."

"Regina, are you sure you should be out here? You don't look too good," remarked Mary-Margaret.

"I'm ok for the time being," she said trying to put on a brave face. "Anna said something earlier and I agree. If this curse leads to our inevitable demise, then I choose to spend my last moments being with my family," she said looking mostly at Henry who smiled lovingly back. "And right now…" she said trudging slowly through the snow getting closer to the group. The tone of her voice transitioned to that of sarcasm, covering up any vulnerability she may have exposed with her previous statement, "…my family is climbing up hill, through the snow, to stop a mob at the top of a mountain."

Emma fought against her wanting to argue with Regina over her decision to come and instead, consented to the additional members to their party. She figured she could call upon Regina's magic if it was absolutely necessary, even if she was only at half-strength. Hook tried to diffuse the tension he sensed between the two women and commented humorously, "You know, they say you can't choose your family."

"Really? Where did you hear that?" said Emma non-jokingly. She turned away from Regina and Robin and the group pressed forward. Emma and Hook continued their trivial conversation, while Regina and Robin trailed behind.

"The things we do for family…" said Robin amusingly to himself, eyeing Regina carefully. He purposefully stood behind her in case she fell, but intentionally gave her enough space to not rouse suspicion. He knew that her ability to trust and rely on another human being was still very fresh and new to her. _Baby steps_, he thought to himself. He looked on into the darkness searching for the rest of their party. "It's getting harder to see the rest of the group," he said checking his pockets for a light of some sort, "Do you have a flashlight?"

She turned around and gave him a smirk. Regina extended her hand and unfurled her fingers exposing an enchanted fireball. The flame was only the size of a baseball, but it still carried a good amount of light.

"Yes, well, isn't that convenient?"

"No. Look, here…" she said walking towards him bringing the flame closer. Regina waved her other hand behind the enchanted flame and it began rising, hovering between the two. They both looked up as the flame transformed into an incandescent orb shedding a functional and intimate light. "…there," she said smiling. When she looked down from the orb, she found herself incredibly close to him; intimately close. Like the last time they were this close they had shared a kiss. She coughed trying to covertly hide her smile and turned around. The orb followed the pair of them hovering as they continued on their trek.

Robin and Regina could see the silhouette outlines of Mary-Margret and Hook just twenty feet ahead of them, but knew they were still lagging behind. They all kept walking the man-made path in silence. Every so often, Regina kept looking behind her, catching glimpses of him staring at her. Finally it bothered her enough to invoke a response, "What?" she asked slightly perturbed, turning to look back at him.

"What, what?" said Robin coolly.

"You're gawking at me."

"Am I?" he said facetiously, "I'm just waiting for you to tell me when I'm in too deep. Am I in too deep yet?"

"No yet, but I can see how you would think that, since what we're doing is not a typical family outing."

"My family lives in the forest. A typical outing is anything that involves leaving camp. It's all a matter of perspective. Though, I suppose I don't know what your family does on a typical 'outing'. Enlighten me. What does a _typical_ family outing look like?" He was looking to make conversation to pass the time on their way up the hill side.

"Pre-curse or post-curse?"

"Both."

She sighed before confessing, "You know, to be honest, I preferred my outings with Henry in Storybrooke. Though, I think I may be biased because well… I _did_ enact the first curse to meet my desires. But actually, we never really went out much." She grinned to herself thinking fondly of the peaceful days when it was just her and him. "When Henry was growing up, my favorite family moments had to be dinner time. He'd be home from school and I'd come home from work, and while I was making dinner for us I would listen to him tell me about his day at school. Even if the events were mundane, I would treasure every moment. Most days, I'd find myself living vicariously through his 'normal' moments. Hearing of his accomplishments, seeing the artwork he would bring home, working on his homework together… those were my family _outings_ I suppose."

"I'm sure you must have had fond memories from back home," Robin assumed.

"No. I was… actually quite miserable." She reflected on her past and it caused her to pause in her tracks. He followed suit and stopped as well.

"Oh," he said surprised at her frankness. He expected to hear some grandiose story about her royal family going out to some lavish party, but instead was given an honest and dark response. He stepped a little bit closer to her, intrigued by her statement, but still kept out of arm's reach.

"Apart from Daniel, my mother was overbearing and she overruled my life. She was never satisfied with anything I ever did and it seemed, at times, that I disappointed her," she said tucking back a white lock behind her ear. She tried to hide how much her mother had hurt her and it pained her heart. The mere thought caused her heart to seize temporarily, and she grimaced, clenching her teeth through the pain. She clutched at the spot in her chest where her heart resided. Robin, noticing the pain she was enduring, immediately ran up to her and instinctively hugged her. He wasn't sure if he was helping, but he felt the need to do his best to comfort her.

"I'm sorry," said Robin as Regina fell intuitively into his embrace. She buried her face into the warmth of his chest. "For what?" she asked, masking the tear she was shedding for her mother as the pain subsided. His head rested upon the top of Regina's. He stared off into the distance, thinking about all the horrific things she must have endured. "I'm sorry for bringing up your past. I shall never do it again."

"My past…" she began, shivering from the cold. "…is part of me. I just hope that it's not too late…"

"Too late for what?" he said rubbing her back. He could feel her tremble and was doing his best to keep her warm. She hesitated, thinking back on the words he once said to her, "a while back… I asked you what you saw in me…"

"…a second chance," he recalled vividly, smiling at the thought.

"Even… after all I've done in my past… after what you learned about me through your Marian… do you still believe that? Do you think I even deserve a second chance?"

"I do," he said pulling away from her so that he could look into her eyes, "and I also believe that your son thinks so as well. This… right here… this moment, is your second chance. Now let us make the most of it. Hmm?"

She felt nothing but cold. The heat from his breath escaped his mouth and drew her in. A buzz seemed to fill the air between the two as their lips came closer together.

"Mom!" shouted Henry from up ahead on the trail. The yell broke the connection and they both separated from each other. "Is everything ok?" Henry asked, back-tracking his steps to get closer to his mother. "I was concerned when I didn't see you guys behind us."

"Everything's alright. We're coming," said Regina. She turned to look at Robin, giving him a half-smile. Henry came forward to his mother and reached for her hand to assist her.

"Mom, you don't look so good," observed Henry. Regina's hair was almost completely white. Her lips were turning blue and her face was going pale. It was enough to give Henry cause for alarm. She wrapped a loving arm around Henry's shoulder, attempting to reassure him.

"I know," she reluctantly admitted, "but as long as you're with me, I'll be fine."

* * *

**Thank you to Montreat11, persephonie025, BreathingintheSun, and Grace5231973 for your reviews! You all have been too kind to me. As I've mentioned before I'm polishing, writing and reading/responding to reviews all at the same time. It's a reading/writing workout! I also realized that my chapters are finally catching up to where I'm writing currently. Which is a good and bad thing because now I need to figure out how to end this thing. Don't worry, Rumbelle chapters are coming soon after the Elsa debacle. I'm writing those as we speak. But until then, everyone stay beautiful and have a phenomenal weekend!  
**


	15. A Sacrifice

…_**Fairy Tale Land…**_

"Mommy, I'm hungry," said the two year old boy rubbing his aching belly. Marian's face twisted in anguish, feeling helpless as she picked up her starving son. She kissed her son as tears fell down her face. Love was the only thing that she could provide her son now. She knew that times were getting tough in The Forbidden Forest, but she was desperate. Marian stood there holding her son, agonizing over her maternal pain, "I know, my love. I'm so sorry…"

She could hear the men strategizing their next heist outside her camp. _Enough is enough, _she said to herself, wiping the tears from her face. She refused to stand by and do nothing. This was the last straw. She had to do something. Sitting around camp feeling helpless made her feel restless, and it was affecting their family's well being. Marian looked around the room and sat Roland down on the ground. She took her last good pillow from where she and Robin slept and ripped it open. Goose feathers escaped from the torn opening and she showed them to Roland, "Roland, stay here and find all the long feathers for daddy's arrows. Mommy's going to find you something."

Marian exited the flaps to her family's tent and approached the ring of men that encompassed the campfire. She could see drawings made in the dirt; the blueprints of the next castle to steal from. She searched the sea of faces, looking for the one she wanted. While she looked she couldn't help but overhear the tossing of words they were exchanging to one another.

"No! We need someone slender."

"I'm thin!"

"We can't wait another year for you to be the right weight to pull this off."

"Well food is running low, so it might be shorter than you think."

"Marian!"

Marian heard the voice of the father to her child. Robin got up from where he sat and came over to Marian. "Is everything alright? What's wrong?" he asked, his brows furrowed with concern. He could tell that she had been crying recently.

"No. Our son is starving and I'm the worst mother in the world for not having anything to give him."

"You are not the worst mother in the world—"

"-But I am. I want to be involved on this next one," she said with determination, looking over at the rest of the men.

"You want to join our next mission?" he asked looking at her face for clarification. But when he saw that she was serious, he changed his tone to adamancy. "No! Absolutely not. I will not allow it."

"Robin, if this means helping our family and helping others, I will not stand by and do nothing."

"Marian, the last time we did this, people got hurt. If something happened to you, I could never forgive myself."

"Well then go tell your son why he has to go hungry tonight. While you and your men go off gallivanting, do you even know what it's like to tell your son night after night that there's nothing even to nibble on?"

Robin always hated the topic of food. He could push himself to the limits and survive on very little, but he couldn't possibly ask for his own family to do the same. They deserved more and they deserved better. Now that he had to think of his family's immediate needs, the threshold for tolerating the pain of starvation became more pressing and the pressure to produce more outstanding. It became a recent topic that inevitably led to their arguing.

"Alright," he consented. He needed her and she needed him. They all needed to work together if this next larceny were to be successful.

"Thank y—"

"But just so you know," he said stopping her before she entered the group, "I don't feel right about this."

"I understand. I am capable, Robin. I'm not worthless."

"I know. You're not worthless… you're priceless. That's why I'm already regretting this."

… …

All Marian needed to do was make it to Queen Regina's castle and fit through the small gap on the south side of the prison allowing her access beyond the gate. Once she got through, she would meet Robin and the others by the drawbridge to raise the gates. The rest of the crew would then enter the castle and free the prisoners while she and Robin would ransack the treasury, and if time, the kitchens.

A few of their own men have scouted the area a couple of days ago discovering this gap as well as the Queen's itinerary. Timing was crucial because they had only one chance to act and it was while the Queen was on her constitutional hunt for the evasive and notorious Snow White.

The Queen typically left her estate in the afternoon so the group postulated that if they left around that same time their pilfering would go easily unnoticed. That was their mission and that was why Marian found herself alone on the path to the castle. In their experience, it is a lot easier to coordinate and hide one person than it was to hide multiple people in a hasty moment, and her involvement in the plan required her to be solo.

Marian walked expediently through the forest with ease. She knew each pathway to all the castles in the region like they were a map on the back of her hand. Part of the ease was the experience of the forest she learned through Robin. One of the few perks of living in a castle that had imprisoned her was learning the element of grace, especially when she was trying to avoid the Sheriff. So she would practice and polish the art of tip-toeing, making as little noise as possible around the castle.

So it surprised Marian when she heard branches breaking and the stomping of human footsteps running toward her direction. She whistled in the air alerting and calling the stranger if it was a member of her group. Typically the member would echo the same three pitches back, but when the whistling did not return she found herself alarmed. Not only was this person a stranger, but this person was invading Sherwood Forest! Her home was taking on an uninvited guest. And since it remained undetermined whether the stranger was friend or foe, it drew deep concern for the safety of her friends and family. She searched for the closest tree to climb to evade whoever it was that was coming to her. She looked everywhere around her, but no tree around her was climbable. She had to seek cover behind a tree. She found one just large enough to engulf her body and she ran towards it and hid just on the opposite side of the stranger.

Marian panicked as she searched for anything on her bodice that she could use to defend herself when suddenly she remembered the knife she kept by her boot. She lifted her skirt slightly and plucked the knife from the boot's casing, leaning back against the bark of the large tree. She felt better with the weapon in hand, but then another panic brewed within her. This stranger is entering her family's territory. This person is on the outskirts of their land and that made her their family's last line of defense. She felt compelled to defend her people. She took in a deep breath and braved the encounter with the stranger.

"Halt!" Marian called out to the stranger from around the tree. The green-hooded stranger was startled by Marian's call and in response drew out a bow and arrow pointing it at her. Marian held the knife with authority unwavering in her hand and pointed it at the outsider. "You are entering treacherous forest. If you enter any further, you will be ransacked and left for dead. Speak your name so that we may become acquainted and you may possibly leave in peace."

The hooded stranger lowered its lethal aim and pulled back it's hood to reveal… a woman! "My name is Snow White and I wish you no ill will."

"Snow White?"

"Yes. The Queen is after me. I'm afraid she's very close by. If we hurry now, we may avoid her altogether."

As tempting and convenient Snow's offer was, Marian did have her family to think of. If the Queen was as ruthless and powerful as the rumors suggested, she didn't want to have her anywhere near Sherwood forest. The Queen had to be redirected. But how? The Queen needed a distraction.

"No! You go on ahead. You'll come across a small village in the middle of Sherwood. You can find refuge there. I've got to divert the Queen's direction away from this place. No one can know of our encampment."

"Thank you. I don't know how I can ever repay you," Snow gratefully replied.

"Pay it forward and back in kindness, and tell my family… I love them."

"Wait! What's your name?" Snow called back.

"Marian."

Snow gave a grateful nod and pulled her hood back on over her head. Then she immediately placed the arrow back in its holster, slung the bow over her head and continued running down the path that Marian had suggested. It was only a few minutes later when she heard the soft galloping of horses coming closer to her location. The horses stopped in front of her and the Evil Queen flung open her carriage door. The sight was intimidating. The Queen looked up and immediately saw Marian with eyes like a ravenous shark, her gaze never wavering as she gracefully stepped out of the carriage. The Queen stuck out like a sore thumb wearing dark sinister garb that paled her guards' already black uniforms. Regina strutted from her personal coach toward Marian with confidence. It was the kind of cocky pretense that reminded Marian of how she had to carry herself, always pretending to be better than somebody else during her time in the castle. With royalty, Marian discovered, it all came down to body language using gestures and words. A lifestyle and role she wished to never be part of ever again.

"Where is Snow White?" demanded the Evil Queen using a silky poisonous voice. Marian quickly hid her blade.

"Who?" Marian lied.

"The bandit, Snow White, she was passing through here."

"I know of no such person."

"You're _lying_."

"If I was lying, then why would I tell you that I saw a hooded figure running in _that_ direction?" said Marian pointing in the opposite direction of her home in Sherwood Forest.

"You're lying to me again! Snow White _was_ here. Guards!" said Regina while her guards immediately dismounted from the horses. "Seize that woman and arrest her for aiding and concealing a known fugitive."

Marian couldn't out-run the guards that were already right next to her. Marian struggled to escape but it was futile. The blade shook loose from the garments she hastily tried to hide it in and it fell to the ground rendering her completely defenseless. The guards quickly placed Marian in the celled carriage meant for Snow White that trailed the tail end of the Queen's caravan. "_She_ was here! She could be anywhere by now! Gah!" exclaimed the Queen out of frustration. She approached Marian who sat in the celled carriage. "Death is the punishment for anyone hiding Snow White. Tell me where she is and you shall live!" Regina demanded.

Marian looked at her in defiance and said nothing. She wasn't going to give her the pleasure of knowing anything, especially if that involved her continuing on into the woods and thus giving up the location of her friends and family. "Fine," Regina growled, "Let us make a tour of the other villages in this area and make an example of you."

* * *

**Got some plotting done on the weekend. Thank you for your patience! And thank you to Montreat11, Grace5231973, BreathingintheSun, persephonie025 for your reviews! Sorry I haven't replied immediately. I will try and do so tomorrow. You all are awesome!**


	16. Love Will Thaw

Henry escorted his mother up the path with Robin following closely behind. Mary-Margaret, Hook and Emma were just a couple of feet ahead of them hiding behind some bushes leering at what was in front of them. They could hear clamoring just beyond the bushes and Regina waved her hand extinguishing the glowing orb. Emma stood in between Hook and her mother and contemplated their next move. They had reached the mob. Just ahead of them, they could see in between the trees, Elsa's mansion. The building was casting off an eerie blue glow, lighting up her establishment using the moon's light. Regina and Robin stepped closer to hear all of the commotion.

Lit torches could be seen just fifteen feet away from where they were. A distinct female voice could be heard instigating the crowd. "Come on out and face us!"

"Don't be a coward!" said one man.

"We're not afraid of you!" cried out another in the crowd. Elsa stepped forward out on her balcony to peer below at the mob. Marian stepped out in front of the mob to confront Elsa.

"Are you the one they call 'Queen Elsa'?" shouted Marian. Elsa complied and nodded, preparing to protect herself and defend her home if necessary. "We are not here to harm you. However, you have destroyed our homes and we demand retribution. Unfreeze our land where our homes reside and we'll leave from your place with no quarrel."

Elsa backed away from her balcony, unsure how to address this foreign crowd.

"Hey!" roared Marian. "We are not part of the royal company you desire to torment. We are a free people who will fight to protect what is ours! Your issue is not with us, it's with the royal family."

"Marian!" shouted Robin coming out of the woods from behind the bushes. "What are you doing?"

The crowd turned facing Hook, Mary-Margaret, Emma, Henry, Regina and Robin. With their cover now blown there was no use in hiding any more, so they all followed Robin out from behind the bushes. "So much for a plan," said Emma under her frustrated breath.

Robin came forth, hoping his presence alone would be enough to calm the rioting mass. He walked past his friends from camp and headed straight toward Marian. The mob looked on silently, hesitant over the power struggle being displayed. "Who are you fighting for Robin, _her?_" she said nodding implicitly over at Regina. "You've changed, Robin. You've gone turn-coat on us. If she's a royal leader like she claims to be, she should sacrifice herself on behalf of her people because _that's_ what a good leader of the people would do."

"So is that's what you think you're doing? Sacrificing yourself?" Robin argued back at Marian incredulously. The look of disgust painted his face and it was evident to everyone there.

"She's right," said Regina emerging and forcing her way to the front of the crowd. Robin turned looking at Regina getting close to him. She looked over at Marian, consenting to her statement.

"We need to get people to seek shelter. You don't have to prove anything," insisted Robin.

"Yes, I do. I always knew somewhere deep down, that I wasn't meant for happiness. I've hurt and killed too many people in my past, and that will always make me the villain. No," she said looking down, mustering up the courage to accept what she was about to say next, "it's time for me to pay retribution." Regina looked deep into Robin's eyes, "I'm the villain. I don't deserve a happy ending. That will always be my burden to bear."

"No," said Robin coming over to Regina, tenderly holding her shoulders. "I don't accept that. You are neither the villain nor the hero. You are simply Regina. You are a mother, who loves her son very, very much. You make your own destiny. You said it so yourself to Zelena. All you need to do now is believe in it."

"Why? Why should I believe in that?"

"Because I believe in you and because…," Robin stared into Regina's eyes as if searching for the truth.  
The answer bubbled to the surface and it escaped his mouth. He felt as if he had said the phrase a thousand times to her before and that it was the most natural thing in the world, "… I love you."

He lowered his head to Regina's and their lips connected. The buzz that they had once felt before ignited and burst forth into a magical beam of gold light. The passionate kiss broke Regina's curse and her hair and face became flushed with color again. They continued kissing, oblivious to the world, living blissfully in the moment with each other. All of a sudden, the sun began to rise, signaling the arrival of a new morning.

Elsa managed to peek out over the balcony to witness the brilliant event. Elsa threw up her arms to shield her eyes from the stunning radiance that pulsated from the couple. The beam of light passed through every one within the vicinity. Elsa felt the warmth from the powerful kiss pass through her and pierce her heart, stirring feelings she had but never truly felt before until now. The power from Robin and Regina's True Love's Kiss rekindled her soul and illuminated a new confidence that she had been missing all along. It was what Elsa had been missing from herself; _Love_, but more importantly, self-love. "_True Love_… Love!" Elsa said in awe.

Just as Elsa came to her epiphany, Rumplestiltskin had freed himself magically by melting his ice trap. He shook loose the ice bonds and stealthily approached the unknowing Ice Queen. Purple smoke surrounded his right hand and when the smoke cleared he was brandishing a sword. Kristoff struggled against his ice restraints, making muffled cries trying desperately to get Anna's attention. Anna, noticing his jerky movements, looked up at Kristoff. She saw his eyes looking frantically back and forth from her and what was going on behind her.

"I should have just killed you when I had the chance," Mr. Gold murmured to himself, not realizing that somebody had been watching him.

Anna turned around and saw Mr. Gold's menacing face. He slowly lifted the blade and Anna ran forward screaming, "NO!" intercepting the lethal blow. She barely had enough time to protect her sister. Just as Anna raised her hand to take on the deadly strike, her whole body became solidified and transformed completely into ice. Gold struck Anna's ice form. The sword collided with Anna's hand and the blade shattered into a dozen pieces.

Gold staggered backwards, stunned by the sudden act of bravery. Elsa turned around and saw her sister's statue behind her. "Anna! No, no, no no no!" Elsa cried. She ran around to the front of Anna's body and held her glass-like face, ignoring a bewildered Rumplestiltskin. Tears tumbled from her eyes as she hugged her sister. "I'm so sorry!" Elsa sobbed, mourning her sister, "I love you."

The few minutes of silence felt like eternity. Rumplestiltskin backed away slowly, putting distance between him and the sisters. Elsa was beginning to despair when she began to feel warmth emit from Anna's chest. The epicenter of color blossomed from Anna's heart and permeated throughout her entire body. Her act of True Love, broke the curse and the remaining ice cascaded off her body like glitter. Anna looked down at her sister and smiled lovingly.

Elsa beamed, grinning from ear to ear, and hugged her sister intensely. "You sacrificed yourself… for me?"

Anna nodded slightly, hugging her sister, "I love you."

"Don't you see?" Elsa replied jovially, stepping back to look into her sister's eyes, holding her hands tenderly. "Your act of True Love…" and then the idea of what Elsa was feeling during Robin and Regina's kiss became clear, "…thawed your frozen heart."

Seeing that the sisters were together again and that Elsa had figured out her dilemma, Rumplestiltskin took the opportunity and disappeared in a cloud of purple smoke. Elsa, overwhelmed by the newly conceived concept, ignored Rumplestiltskin's disappearing act. She learned what she needed to know and no longer needed his services. Even with Rumplestiltskin's magical departure, she couldn't let go of what she just witnessed from her sister. Stunned by the notion, Elsa became filled with joy and excitement. She repeated out loud to herself, "Love… will thaw. That's it!"

She turned looking at Kristoff and using the warmth of her love for her sister she waved her hands over Kristoff and melted his bindings. Kristoff shivered and exhaled with relief. Anna ran right over to Kristoff and hugged him intensely. The force of her hug knocked the air out of his lungs. When he finally caught his breath, he graciously hugged her back.

Elsa came forward to the balcony and waved her hands over the town of Storybrooke. The town immediately began to melt and items were magically restored to their original state.

The crowd below bellowed a collective sigh in relief. Seeing that the town was no longer in a frozen tundra, the mob dispersed and started on their return trek home.

"Wait, what just happened?" Emma asked out loud.

"It appears that Queen Elsa is returning Storybrooke back to us," answered Mary-Margaret.

"I need to go and determine that one for myself," said Emma with a determined look on her face. She walked in the opposite direction of the crowd toward Elsa's mansion.

"Swan, where are you going?" questioned Hook.

"I'm going to confront this Elsa and see what exactly went down. I need to know what happened up there."

… …

Anna released her hug from Kristoff and gave him a remorseful look, "I'm sorry."

"What could you possibly be sorry for?" he asked, curious that their connection was broken by an apology.

"I'm sorry for being so naïve, for being gullible and for not seeing what was in front of me all along." They pause looking awkwardly at one another. "And… I want to say thank you," she continued, both looking eagerly into each others' eyes. "Thank you for your sacrifice, on behalf of myself, our family and our kingdom. If it wasn't for your loyalty, we would have been lost. Thank you for being constantly by my side through everything; all my mistakes… and even my horrendous decisions. I should have realized that it was you who had loved me all along. It was you who kept my heart beating as long as it has." They moved in closer her head meeting with his, and in one gentle and swift motion she kissed him sweetly on the lips.

* * *

**Honestly, I kind of liked this chapter. A good OUAT twist on the Frozen story. I'm sure you all have been following what's been happening in Steveston and by now I know I am WAAAAY off. But whatever. I suppose that's why fanfiction is great. It fills the idea gaps during the show's hiatuses. Anyways, a special 'whoop! WHOOP!' to BreathingintheSun, Grace5231973 and Montreat11 for reviewing my last chapter. To be honest, I didn't really watch OUAT:Wonderland, and I heard that Robin made an appearance on that show. So I totally guessed Roland's age when I started writing that chapter. I assumed that it had been some time for the little boy since he had seen his mother, Marian. Not long for him to be too old, but young enough to still remember what his mother looked like. I would say that it was a good guess. All you timid readers out there, don't be shy... I want to hear from you! Even if it is just a few words like, "It was good" would mean the world to me! Alrighty, I'm starting to sound desperate. Still finishing my plot points on how to finish the overall story. :( I know. But I gotta end it somehow. My roommates are starting to look at me funny hunched over my laptop all the time. And now, as I take a step back from it, the story is starting to come together quite nicely and I can't wait to share it with you all. Until next chapter... see you there. ;)**


	17. When You Fall into a Hole

Snow was depleting all around them and people were dispersing from the Elsa's property. At Emma's insistence, Hook and Mary-Margaret ran with her into the ice mansion to confront Elsa. While they left to find out Elsa's exact temperament and safety their town, Robin, Regina and Henry stayed behind. Marian ran up to confront Robin, "So that's it? You love her now?!"

Henry stood close to his mother and hugged her, glad that her curse had been broken. But as much as it was a cause for celebration, the same could not be said in Robin and Marian's case. Robin turned away from Regina and Henry and moved toward Marian giving her his undivided attention. Robin's face had fallen. After being in such a beautiful moment with Regina just earlier before, he then became saddened. His face then became filled with an intense grief.

"Marian," Robin began with a sudden pain in his heart, "you don't understand. So much time has passed for me."

"Yeah, but not for me."

"I know, and that's why this is so hard and unfair."

"It's not my fault that the Evil Queen abducted me with the intent to kill me. Robin, she was going to kill me!" Marian's voice escalated trying to make reason with Robin. Robin retorted back defensively, "But she didn't, did she?!"

Robin combed his fingers through his hair out of stress and lowered his voice to calmly explain himself. "Marian," he spoke somberly, looking down in sorrow and pain. "When you came back, I wanted Roland, you and I to be a family again, but when you chose the mob over your own family to go after and deliberately hurt people… well... it sounds exactly what the Sheriff did to you in Nottingham."

Marian was stunned over Robin's offensive comparison. The prolonged silence only made the situation worse because they both knew where this was going; but neither Robin nor Marian wanted to believe it. Each word stung and rattled their brains like a trapped bee. He gathered up the courage and looked Marian in the eye. He needed to let these thoughts fly away and escape his mind. He had been sitting with them for too long. Tears were watering in his eyes, "I mourned you… for so long. Regretting for years that moment I let you go…"

He took a moment, trying to hide a sniffle through a cough and continued, "'_Be grateful for what you've got and make the most of what you have._' That's what I kept telling myself to get by." A tear escaped from the corner of his eye, "I wanted to make us work, for Roland's sake, but… it looks like I'm not the only one who's changed."

Marian, heart-broken and crying, sniveled, "We're over? Is that what you're telling me?!"

A frown claimed his face. Robin's bottom lip trembled as he spoke, "Yes."

Marian fell to her knees and howled out a painful sob. Regina and Henry stood there speechless. Regina saw the pain of the two individuals and felt helpless. Robin turned away from Marian, distancing himself from the group and started walking into the woods alone.

"Robin," called out Regina. Robin halted and turned to face Regina. He could barely look at her face. She saw the confliction as he held up his hands as if to stop her. He shook his head and closed his eyes, gritting his teeth. "Please…" he begged, "I need some time."

"I understand. You know where to find me," was the best Regina could say, sympathetic to his situation. He nodded, acknowledging Regina and turned walking away into the woods. Marian's sobs continued, leaving Henry and Regina feeling... guilty.

"Mom, you've got to do something," said Henry, feeling sympathetic.

"I can't Henry! What would you have me do?"

"Offer to help her."

"What if she doesn't want my help?"

"Mom, she's in pain, of course she's going to refuse, but even if she refuses, offer it to her anyways. No one deserves to be alone. Give her a way out. Give her options."

"Henry…" Regina hesitated, looking at a befallen Marian. "…you're asking a lot."

"I know you've been there…" he said earnestly to his mother, "that place where you feel like all hope and happiness is lost. You managed to get out of it. You managed to find a way out…"

"Henry it took a curse to get out of it—"

"You're missing my point," he said shaking his head fervently. Henry held his mother's face gently, looking honestly into her eyes, "You fall into a hole and you can't escape. Most people walk by the hole, waving and saying, 'sorry, can't help you'… casual friends, neighbors, maybe even family members pass by. But a friend… a true friend, falls into the hole with you. Why? Because that real friend has been there before and knows the way out."

"You're right," Regina sighed admitting reluctantly out loud. Then she looked at him, surprised by such a profound statement, "Where did you learn that?"

"Online," he replied with confidence. "It's a magical place."

She turned facing Marian and took in a deep breath. Regina looked back over at Henry, who gave her an encouraging nod, and walked timidly over to Marian. "Marian…" Regina called out timidly.

"Go away, you evil wretched woman!" hissed Marian.

"You're right," Regina agreed, "I was an evil wretched woman, but that woman is gone."

Marian spat at her in disbelief. Regina, taken back by the disrespect, understood her reaction and anger all too well.

"Marian, you're not going to like what it is I have to say, but here it is…" Regina squatted next to Marian and took a breath before beginning, "I know how angry you are… at me, at the world… and you have every right to be. I know this anger because I had it too, and I allowed my anger to corrupt me. It corrupted my reputation… my magic… my soul…. It corrupted me so much that I had complete disregard to anyone who got in my way. I've hurt many people as a result of this and I had hurt you when I was hurting most, and for that… I am truly sorry."

Regina looked over at Henry who was giving her two encouraging thumbs up. She looked back over at Marian and knelt down beside her, "I'm not expecting you to forgive me, and I suspect you never will. But the one thing you have that I didn't have back then, was my son. He is my world and my reason to do good things now. Henry is my second chance. You _still _have your second chance because you have Roland."

Regina stood back up and walked slowly back over to Henry. "For what it's worth, if you need anything from me—"

"I don't need anything from you!" Marian shouted at Regina, cutting her off.

"Regardless, I'm offering you anything and everything within my power to help you through this. For the sake of Roland, I owe you at least that much."

Regina wrapped an arm around Henry's, turning and walking away from an angry Marian.

"Oh and by the way," Marian shouted to Regina. Regina paused in her tracks to listen, "I don't want you anywhere near Roland ever again!"

"I promise," Regina said respectfully, "I will not go near your son without the consent of his parents."

It was a start, albeit rocky, but in the right direction.

* * *

**A short chapter. Sorry guys. The way I had broken up the scenes in my story would have made the chapter either super long or super short. So I decided on the shorter route because as I mentioned a few chapters ago, the publishing is catching up to with where I'm at in writing it. Hence, my absence the past few days. I've been writing. I want to get this story done as much as you guys want to see how it ends. But every one of you are rock stars in my eyes, especially and BreathingintheSun for reviewing! And for those who are scared to review me, don't be. I've got thick skin. Speak your mind. I can take it. I like to take the good with the bad. Anyways, much love to all. See you next chapter.  
**


	18. Recovery

The sun poked out from behind the clouds revealing the day's morning sky. Mr. Gold drove his car and parked it in front of Granny's Bed and Breakfast. He got out and quickly walked up the stairs into the house like he owned the place because technically, he did. He entered the lobby and was immediately greeted by Granny who descended the stairs to discover Mr. Gold. She peered over her frames and stared suspiciously at him.

"Mr. Gold?" she asked, his presence put her on edge. "Can I assume now that since you're here and the snow's gone, that we have our town back?"

"Things are fine for now. Where is Belle?" he demanded.

"She's resting," she replied simply, not alluding to any more details to her current condition. She felt the need to act on Belle's behalf as the concerned motherly figure, protecting and defending Belle's well-being. As far as she knew, he still wasn't to be trusted. She continued down the stairs and stopped at the bottom blocking his path. He moved slowly as he approached her.

"I'm not here to harm her if that's what you're thinking," he said picking up on her protective stance and disapproving glare. "She's my wife now, and I would like to take her home and care for her."

"Is she now?" she said skeptically still eyeing him suspiciously. She gave him one more speculative and judging stare-down before acquiescing his request. Seeing through his body language that his intentions were honest and non-threatening she said, "Upstairs. Room four."

"Thank you," he said making his way toward the stairs, but before he could proceed any further Granny held up a hand to stop him. "And Gold…" she stared at him, still standing defiantly in his way, "…congratulations."

He nodded and she moved out of the way to allow him passage up the stairs. He approached the door labeled with the number '4' and opened it slowly. He quietly entered the room and saw her lying peacefully in the bed, bundled up in thick blankets and new clothes. Seeing that she was safe and relatively fine he smiled and exhaled, relaxing a little bit. He approached her bedside and sat down next to her. He leaned down, placing a hand on the bed beside her supporting himself while he hovered over her body, and he kissed her gently on the lips.

Belle's eyes fluttered open to a wonderful surprise. She smiled, "You're alright," relieved to see that he came out of the issue with Elsa unscathed. "You were able to help her?" she asked skeptically, hoping for the best and expecting the worse. It wouldn't have been surprising if he did something treacherous, but she still wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt and was waiting to hear him out. She struggled trying to sit up in bed to look him better in the eye, her muscles were still stiff from the cold. Rumple immediately grabbed the spare pillow that was beside her and he made his attempt to help make her more comfortable.

"She found a way," he began, placing the pillow behind her back, "and was able to help herself," he said concisely. His reply made her believe that there was more to this tale than what he was leading on to. Never lying to her, but conveniently omitting information to her. It was another issue she and him would have to still work on together.

"And the town… the town is safe?" she squinted in pain from her head throbbing.

"For now it is, but you needn't fear. I'm here with you now," he said reaching over, gently tucking a stray hair that dangled in front of her face behind her ear. She looked up into his warm eyes and was greeted by a comforting smile. She reciprocated the smile, but was half-hearted about it. Her feelings were torn because she was happy to have him alive and by her side, but was still upset about the dagger. _He lied, _she reminded herself. _The dagger was fake._ She wanted to resolve the issue right then and there and have peace of mind, but she didn't have the strength to get into that discussion just yet.

"Are you ok?" Rumple asked with a concerned eyebrow raised. Belle tried to hide her discomfort and dissatisfaction with him about the dagger, but her exhaustion made for a poor dam holding in all of her emotions. Before the levee could break, she quickly evaded getting into the topic by replying, "I'm…um… I'll be alright. Can we go home?"

"We can. That is, if you're up to it. Do you need help?"

As much as she wanted to be mad at him, she didn't have the strength to do it today. She felt conflicted. Ambivalent. So many questions and thoughts ran through her mind unanswered. She forced herself to throw those thoughts into the same pool of emotions she was holding back from him. She was afraid to say anything to him that might trigger her questioning so she decided it best to simply remain silent. She needed time to rest and think.

She nodded her head reluctantly and Gold carefully lifted the sheets that covered her. Belle shivered briefly then turned her torso, launching her legs off the side of the bed. Her head spun for second. After seeing her body waver, he quickly extended his hands and reached for hers making sure she didn't lose her balance. She closed her eyes briefly and took in a deep breath. When she opened her eyes, she saw him looking at her with an encouragingly. She couldn't reciprocate the gesture, so instead she focused on her feet that were dangling off the side of the bed.

Belle moved slowly out of bed still wearing the borrowed clothes from Ruby. While Belle slipped into her own shoes that Ruby conveniently placed by the door, Rumplestiltskin grabbed one of the smaller blankets from the room and wrapped it lovingly around her. "Thank you," was all she could mutter to him as they made their way out of the room.

"Of course," he said, moving around her opening the door for her.

Mr. Gold led the way holding Belle's hand as they gingerly descended the stairs and into the lobby. They ran into Ruby who, upon seeing the couple, stood up from behind the front desk. "Is everything ok?" Ruby asked.

"We're fine," Rumple answered on behalf of them. "We're going to head home and finish recuperating."

"Yes," said Belle looking around the room, "Please tell Granny 'thank you' for me," taking note of Granny's absence. Belle assumed that they must have switched shifts while she was resting upstairs. "And thank you for the clothes and everything. I…" she said looking at the blanket she was borrowing as well, "…uh, promise to return these the first chance I get."

"Don't worry about it. Keep them for now. Return them when you can. Get well soon. We'll talk later," Ruby replied with an amicable smile. Rumple opened the door for Belle using his other hand to support her backside. Belle shivered again as a cool breeze from the open door hit her face. Her muscles stiffened slightly and her bones ached as she and Rumple slowly shuffled toward the car.

The ride home from Granny's was a quieter than usual. It wasn't like her to be this reticent and it made him suspicious. Usually she would bombard him with questions, but this time she said nothing. He kept looking over at Belle, constantly gauging her condition. She remained quiet, looking pensively out the passenger window. Neighborhood buildings and houses would pass by them, but she wasn't looking at them; she was looking past them, which only meant that she was in her head space.

"You're awfully quiet," Rumple observed, trying to initiate a conversation. He wanted to know what she was thinking. She didn't flinch at his comment and was still reserved in her own thoughts. She continued staring out the window. She didn't even bother to look at him.

He continued, "You know, I have many abilities, but reading minds is not one of them. A penny for your thoughts?" He waited for her, giving her a chance to contribute to the dialogue, but she remained silent. Her chilly response concerned him, leading him to the next conclusion, "Why am I getting the impression that you're mad at me?"

"I'm not mad, Rumple," she said finally responding. She turned to face him, but was still unable to look him completely in the eye. "Look, I still don't feel well. I feel dizzy. Let me rest and we can talk later, okay?"

Something was wrong and she wasn't going to tell him. _Why?_ He needed to know. He needed find out and he was going to. However, for now, he consented to settle the issue, whatever it was, at a later time. He wanted to give her the benefit of the doubt and allow her time to heal. A look of concern twisted his face as he helplessly replied, "Okay, sweetheart."

And they rode the rest of the way home in silence.

* * *

**Hooray! You made it past the Elsa debacle! Well done. See... it wasn't too bad, right? Montreat11, that Granny/Rumple scene was for you. ;) **

**Thanks to BreathingintheSun for your review. It's always rewarding as the writer to hear such positivity from a reviewer. Still plugging away at my story. Now onward to more Rumbelle! Much love to all you beautiful, sexy readers. You know who you are. See you next chapter.**


	19. A Good Man

"_And now…" Belle said placing his hand gently over her heart, "…now I must pay the price." And she disappeared leaving him cradling the beautiful lily._

Rumplestiltskin jerked himself awake from the dream. Or was it a vision? He sat behind his spinning wheel down in the basement of his home and looked around. Had he fallen asleep? He concluded that he must have nodded off from not having slept in over twenty-four hours. Belle's residual voice lingered in his mind from the vision. Why was he dreaming about Belle? Something is going to happen to her. He stood up immediately and in a blink of an eye disappeared from his private work room. He reappeared magically just outside their bedroom door. His heart pounded as he reached the door knob. He needed to see with his eyes that she was safe. Rumple opened the door to discover Belle resting peacefully in their bed. Seeing that she was exactly how he had left her, he exhaled in relief.

He was about to head downstairs to continue spinning when he noticed the packed bags on the floor; their luggage for their intended honeymoon that Belle had packed. He looked up to make sure she wasn't looking and waved his hands over the bags. The luggage disappeared in a cloud of purple smoke. _Disappear_.

He thought about his dream and how Belle disappeared in his hands. Worry painted his face as he thought about the idea of losing Belle. It pained him. It was the same pain he tried so hard to suppress when seeing his son's body. The painful memory of witnessing his death flooded his mind. He needed to see him again. Even if it was just a tombstone, he needed to stare at it like he needed to see Belle, or stare into his spinning wheel to forget. Only, he didn't want to forget, he wanted to remember. He wanted to remember the good memories. He wasn't sure what good would come from going to his son's grave, but he felt the need to go see it; to grieve. That's what it was, to grieve. Rumplestiltskin's shock was what kept him from grieving properly.

He searched for centuries on ways to get to this land; The Land Without Magic. He felt now as he did before, still searching for his son. But searching for what? Answers? He knew his son was dead, but admitting it would only break down the dam he had built for himself; to protect himself in front of his enemies. Ever since Zelena, he defaulted to pretending like he was still searching for him, as if he was just going to go explore another avenue of magic like he did centuries before. It is what he had always done and it now felt like what he was always programmed to do. And that mission was what he told himself to cope, both as a grieving father and for self-preservation. His denial may have been a good coping mechanism then to save face in front of Zelena, but what now? Who did he feel afraid to hide from?

He had made many enemies in his past. And as much as he wanted to run away from it, the past had a funny way of catching up with him; haunting him. He felt stuck in this depressive cycle of fear. Someone or something from his past is constantly going after him. He felt the need to be strong; to cope, survive and remain constantly focused, but he knew he couldn't be strong forever. He felt the need to grieve; to accept his past mistakes, to accept the passing of his son and as a result become vulnerable to his own feelings. His own feelings were his weakness and to accept and grieve meant being weak. He knew grieving was inevitable, he just didn't know which would benefit him the most at the moment. What was he risking? What would be the price if he does or doesn't grieve?

Belle stirred in her bed. She opened her eyes and noticed Rumple standing vigilantly in the doorway. "Rumple? What's wrong?" she asked sitting up in bed.

"I… I'm sorry Belle, I didn't mean to startle you," he said to her while attempting to leave and give her peace.

"No! Please stay." As much as the fake dagger still loomed in her mind, it didn't explain this particular pain Rumple was expressing on his face. She still loved him so she was concerned about his welfare. She was curious and wanted to know why he was standing there to begin with. "Is everything alright? Come talk to me."

He moved hesitantly, at first, but then he walked slowly over to her side of the bed. He sat down beside her and continued staring down on the floor, deep in thought. She moved her legs within the comforter and drew her knees up to her chest. She wrapped her arms around her legs and waited patiently for him to explain whatever it was on his mind.

He struggled to form words. So he expressed what he could, "I… we… need to stop by the cemetery." Belle nodded finally understanding what troubled him; Baelfire. She moved in her bed and scooted closer to him giving him a supportive hug. She leaned her head on his shoulder. He reached up with one arm and placed it gently on the arm that dangled across his chest. He leaned his head against hers and in a deep somber voice said, "I'd prefer to not go alone. I need you."

"Ok. We'll go," she softly acknowledged. He nodded silently trying to be strong for her and for himself. A moment of silence passed as he reflected. She did her best to silently support him and began rubbing his back soothingly.

"I went ahead and took the liberty of moving our luggage into the car. I figured we'd leave as soon as you were ready to. There's no rush."

"No… I… uh," she sat up and looked at the side of his face that refused to look her in the eye, "…I can go. I'm not a hundred percent, but I'm rested enough for this. Here, let me get dressed and we'll go."

"You sure?"

"This is important… for you and for me."

… …

Belle and Rumple got out of the car and they walked hand-in-hand through the cemetery gate's threshold. Belle led the way toward Neal's grave and although this would be her second time visiting the grave, this was his first. He walked heavy footed, dragging just slightly behind Belle. He was scared. Scared of visiting his worst fear. Every parent's worst fear. The lie he had been telling himself since Zelena, the illusion he had built for himself to protect his sanity, was crumbling down. He was afraid to let his guard down, of being vulnerable. He never intentionally made himself vulnerable. For centuries he created grandiose ways to prevent this very thing from happening, to preserve himself. He felt himself slowly coming undone and he was fighting against it. Panic crossed his face. "Belle…" he said stopping in his tracks.

Belle, realizing he had stopped walking, felt a slight pull from him. She turned around and looked up into face. She saw genuine fear. His face had grown pale, and she could feel the sweat within his palms as his hand shook in hers. He looked almost sickly, his eyes bulging from their sockets as he looked nervously around. In all of her years of knowing him, she had never seen this emotion come from him. It was unusual and a bit unnerving. Yes, she saw fear in his eyes before; like when he feared for her safety when she tried to spring him from his cage from Zelena. And yes, she had seen him in despair; like when he woke her up from her cursed Lacey memories when he thought they were going to die. But this…

He was afraid of how he might react to seeing his son's grave now that he no longer had any reason to hide from his grief anymore. She saw this. It was moments like this, albeit extremely depressing, that gave evidence to his humanity. She saw his fear, feeling what all parents would dread at times like this. Perhaps he was never in a position to safely express or exercise his ability to feel human? Maybe this is why he was struggling so much now?

He felt he was exposing the cowardly man he had told her about and fought so hard to hide from her. He didn't feel safe to express his grief or even feel these same coward-like feelings. But he knew he needed to be brave. And he needed her strength to be brave.

"I… I'm afr…" he tried to say, barely finishing his sentence. It was obvious in his face. He didn't have to explain a single thing to her. So she said the only thing she could think of, possibly the only words that he needed to hear at this very moment, "It's alright. I'll be right here every step of the way."

As simple as those words were, she tried to give him every reason to move forward and not be afraid. Rumple nodded and his eyes became watery. He tried to swallow but his throat was so dry the mere attempt was challenging. He took a shallow breath and willed his numb body forward. They kept walking. Apparently her simple words were enough.

They rounded a tombstone and walked around a tree to discover a boy hovering by Neal's grave. Not a boy, an adolescent. The adolescent turned to look at the visitors, "Mr. Gold?"

"Henry?" Mr. Gold replied with a stuffed up nose. All of them were surprised to see each other, of all places.

"Do your moms know you're out here alone?" asked Belle.

"Yes," he said glumly, turning his head back to look at his father's tombstone. "Since there isn't a threat in town and I'm now too old for a babysitter, Mom—Regina, thought it ok to give me some time alone with my father, so she dropped me off. She's gone off to connect with Emma about Elsa and Anna and said she'd come back for me in half an hour. Besides," he said pulling out his cell phone, "they'd call me if they needed me."

"Well, now that we're here," Mr. Gold said indicating himself and Belle, "we'd be happy to give you a lift home."

"Mr. Gold—"

"Henry," Mr. Gold said cutting him off. He held up his hand to interrupt him, "you can call me Grandpa." His consent to being called by a different name other than Gold or Rumplestiltskin came as a genuine surprise to both Belle and Henry. Henry was his last living blood relative after all.

"I believe," Mr. Gold continued, "we've gone through enough as a family that we don't have to address each other so formally anymore. I mean, if that is still what you desire. I know I was a bit hostile before… when you and I first discovered our familial connection. But I still meant what I said… You can call me whatever you like."

Henry nodded sharing the tender moment over Neal's grave. "Ok. Thank you," Henry said looking at his grandfather earnestly, "Grandpa," giving him a half-smile.

All of them resumed their silent reflection, looking at Neal's tombstone. After a few moments, it was Henry who broke the silence, "I only got to know him for a little bit. I wish I knew more."

"I can help you with that," Mr. Gold answered. Henry and Belle turned their gaze to Gold.

"I knew him when I held him in my arms," Gold could recall the memories vividly as they flashed in his mind, "when he first learned to stand, to walk… to run. I taught him how to…" Mr. Gold struggled as tears came down his face, "…how to talk, to spin at the wheel. I saw him play and grow and constantly fight me on what was right and good with the world… but I was always too blind to see what he saw in life. He was a good man and I see that same man in your eyes."

Henry turned his head slightly and blushed. Henry looked back up at his grandfather with tears as his bottom lip trembled. They shared an unspoken understanding for each other and it was an indescribable love for a good man that laid just six feet below the earth.

* * *

**So... Rumbelle scenes. Here they are! I'm sorry if you were expecting them to be romantic. :/ That's the Rumbelle relationship for you. Whenever they try to have or do something romantic, some random stupid thing comes in and interrupts it. If it was perfect, it wouldn't be their relationship. It's not that I don't long for their romantic moments. I do! I'm just trying to make it as real and true to their characters as possible. If the moment/situation allows for it, without detracting from the forward momentum of the overall story, then yes it will happen. Sometimes I surprise myself when I catch those moments and I do my best to seize those opportunities. I hope you all understand and still continue reading.  
**

**Gold Stars to Montreat11, BreathingintheSun, and Grace5231973 for reviewing! You guys are phenomenal. I love chatting with ya. You guys have a special place in my heart is all I'm saying.**


	20. Cabin

Belle and Mr. Gold stayed a few minutes longer at Neal's grave. There wasn't much else to say between the three as they stood silently staring at the tombstone. Mr. Gold quickly collected himself with a few sniffs before addressing Henry. "Henry, we _are_ family now… and family means a lot to me. So… what I'm trying to say, is… you don't have to be afraid of me anymore. You can come visit me at my shop any time."

"I would like that. Thank you… Grandpa." The words still felt strange to Henry, even as they came out of his mouth, but he figured the more he said it the more he could get used to it.

Belle asked, "Are you sure you don't want a ride home?"

"I'm sure," replied Henry with a small smile. Belle extended her left hand and touched Henry's shoulder, "Despite the circumstances, it was nice seeing you again."

"You too as well," he replied congenially. Belle looked up at Mr. Gold and they both turned to return to their car.

"Oh… and congratulations!" called out Henry. Belle and Gold turned to face him again but with quizzical looks on their faces. "Your ring," Henry gestured toward Belle, "I just noticed it. Congratulations."

"Thank you Henry," answered Mr. Gold. "Yes, thank you," said Belle with a grateful smile. She looked up at her husband who returned her favor with a smile. They turned back around and resumed their trek back to the car. Gold got into the driver's side and Belle entered the car through the passenger's side. When they got into the car she turned to look at her husband. He seemed calmer and more collected, but she knew that underneath the cool exterior there was much more happening than he led her on to believe. She asked him gingerly, "Are you sure you're ok?"

He nodded briefly before saying, "For now." He looked off elsewhere, needing just a few moments of silence to himself before putting the car keys into the ignition. "Belle, I apologize."

"What for?"

"It was my intention to spend our honeymoon continuing the happiness we shared from our wedding night. Instead, we're started off our honeymoon with sadness. Again, it's not what I had intended on us doing, but with what happened with Zelena and Elsa… I needed to see him. I needed to see my son again."

"I understand. I know how much he meant to you." Belle reached out and grabbed his, holding it supportively. "I don't know what the surprise is, or where we're going for our honeymoon, but just so you know, I would be just as happy staying at home with you."

"But you deserve better than that."

"No I don't. I deserve peace and rest… I deserve you."

"Then that is what you shall have." He replied, squeezing her hand just a little bit tighter.

"You know, your son was a good man," she said as he turned the car on, "but you're that same good man too."

He turned his head and looked at his wife, giving her a small smile that looked identical to Henry's.

… …

The cabin was exactly what they needed. Belle grinned as they pulled up into the man-made driveway. It was indeed a pleasant surprise. Gold turned off the vehicle and turned to his wife, "Surprised?"

She couldn't contain her happiness, but she managed to say softly to him, "It's perfect."

Gold unloaded the car of their luggage while Belle brought in what she could of groceries. When she entered the cabin, it wasn't completely clean. There were a few cobwebs here and there and the windows were a bit foggy from all the dust. While others may have been put off by the cabin's current state, she was actually quite relieved. She figured that the more she did to clean and keep her hands busy, the less her mind would focus on the dagger.

She started her cleaning frenzy with the kitchen since they would eventually be using it later that evening for dinner. He left her to deposit their luggage in their bedroom. Time flew by and the kitchen was functional and sanitary again. After some time, Gold returned to meet her in the kitchen. "I'll make dinner," he insisted, taking over the kitchen for her.

So she left him to his own devices and headed to their bedroom to unpack. She entered their bedroom expecting to lay down clean sheets, but Gold had beaten her to the punch. She looked for their luggage and discovered that Rumple had already stowed their clothes neatly into the dresser drawers. Apparently while she was busy with the kitchen, he was busy readying their bedroom. Another pleasant surprise for her, but she was soon finding that she was running out of things to do. She decided to dust. She could smell sweet aromas permeate from out of the kitchen as she searched for a duster. In the midst of her search, she discovered a small bookshelf in an abandoned part of the cabin. The books were, of course, thickly covered with dust, but the sight was exciting as she gently graced the spine of each book her fingers passed. She discovered survival books, first aid books, a book on plant identification, and a few other fictional stories that she didn't recognize.

The sun was beginning to set and they decided to dine by candlelight on the front porch to watch the sun set. With dinner already set on the table, he had served a savory chicken drizzled in white wine sauce, with sides of peppered string beans and garlic red-skinned mashed potatoes. She had been cleaning and dusting for so long she didn't realize how much of an appetite she had worked up. She retrieved her glass of ice water from the kitchen and brought it with her to the porch to discover Gold standing by her chair. When he saw her he pulled the chair out for her. She was fighting the urge to smile, but she was losing the battle. She couldn't help but smile over the chivalrous gesture. "Thank you," she said kindly to him.

"My pleasure."

As soon as Belle sat down he helped push her chair closer to the table. He then sat down at the opposite end and proceeded to pour himself a glass of white wine to pair with the meal. Belle was the first to take a bite of the chicken and the way the creamy wine sauce splashed and danced on her tongue she had to close her eyes to relish in its flavor. She was so impressed with his culinary skills she remarked, "I… uh… didn't know you cooked this well."

"You know," he replied cutting into his own chicken and taking a small bite, "this may surprise you, but there was a time when you weren't around and I had to feed myself." He looked up at her with a smirk and proceeded to take a bite of mashed potatoes. "In a way, I find that cooking is similar to potion making. With careful experimentation, using the correct amount of the right ingredients, you can come up with some magical if not spectacular dishes. Believe me… I've been at this for a while now."

Belle scoffed, laughing out loud to herself, "Heh… uh, well, then perhaps you should have been the one cooking our meals at the Dark Castle. I'm sure I've made you some horrendous ones."

"True," he said smiling down at his plate as he reflected, "but it gave me an excuse to come see you every day." His romantic reflection was heart-warming and it seemed to have filled the bittersweet air. They couldn't help but smile lovingly at each other over the tender moment.

"This is delicious Rumple, thank you," she smirked, marveling over the romantic thought. He definitely had a way of being charming when he wanted to be.

They both sipped from their glasses. "I'll let you in on a little secret…" He said finishing his sip and cutting into his chicken.

"Yes?" _Secrets! _Her ears begged for more. He paused, his face looking grave and somber. She waited for his secret with bated breath.

"This is the only dish I've perfected," he replied not seriously.

"Oh!" she said disappointedly. She could tell that he was obviously joking. She felt silly. She knew he wouldn't readily give up secrets _that_ easily.

"Yep. Unless you count hot or cold mush, to which I think I've patented it." It was clear that he was lying, but his intentions were to try and make her feel better by lightening the mood.

"And here I was thinking you were this hidden master chef. There have to be other meals you know how to cook?" she asked inquisitively.

"Nope," he lied humorously. A moment of silence passed between the two as they took a few more bites of their meal. He looked up from his plate and seeing that Belle was in a happier disposition he remarked, "I'm glad to see you smile again."

She finished chewing and swallowed looking up at her husband, "And I you."

Rumple continued eating and Belle looked at him apprehensively. She wanted to ask him something and her curiosity pushed the words out of her mouth, "Rumple…"

"Mmm?"

"What exactly happened after I left Elsa's mansion?" Rumple paused at the question, registering what she asked mid-chew. He finished whatever remained of his bite and took the napkin that was sitting on his lap and wiped his mouth with it. "After you sent me to Granny's?" Belle asked to clarify her question.

"She was reunited with her sister. She discovered and was able to utilize the power of _Love_ and was then able to unfreeze everything in Storybrooke, including her sister's cursed frozen heart," he answered concisely. She waited for him to elaborate. And when he didn't she persisted, "That can't be all."

"Belle…" he groaned.

"This woman had a century's old grudge on you."

"I've made a lot of enemies back in our land. Most of them, I'm sure, hold grudges."

"And why _did_ you curse her sister?" Belle asked, her voice now escalating.

"Belle," he began, disappointed in the direction in which the evening was heading, "I would really prefer to not talk about this now."

"When _should_ we talk about it then?"

"What's this all about?" he asked, attempting to redirect the interrogation, "I thought dinner was going quite wonderfully."

"You're lying to me Rumple," she accused.

"I'm not lying! What am I lying to you about?!"

She stared frustratingly at him. "You still don't trust me, do you?" she said with disgust, getting up from the table. Her anger about the dagger was flooding back. "…Because lying is also perceived as the omission of facts."

"Belle…" he called pathetically after her, leaving him alone with dinner. He placed his elbow on the table and closed his eyes. He buried his face in his hand and tried to smooth out the stress wrinkles that were forming on his face.


	21. The Dagger

"_Now I have to pay the price…"_

_Belle fades away and disappears entirely leaving nothing but the lily flower cradled in his hand where her heart should have been._

Rumple's eyes whipped open. They weren't home. They were still on their honeymoon at the cabin. He turned over to look at Belle's side of the bed and discovered that she wasn't there. He got up from bed and peered out their bedroom window. A thick fog had settled over the cabin, blanketing out the morning sun. He skulked around the cabin and began looking for Belle. _Did she even come to bed last night?_ He wondered. Their argument last night did get a bit heated.

He walked down the hall and turned to his right to look into the kitchen. She wasn't there, but evidence of her presence still lingered. The teapot kettle still had steam escaping from its' spout and a box of teabags were left out. The kitchen was open and shared its space with the living room area. He looked over to the left and saw the fireplace still going. The fire had simmered down to its coals indicating that she was probably sitting in front of it all night reading, as evident by the pile of books that were strewn on top of a comforter.

He approached the window at the front of the cabin and scanned the porch. Through the glass he saw Belle sitting in one of the chair rocker's with a book in her lap. Although the book was open, she wasn't actually looking at it. She was staring pensively into the woods, possibly thinking about the content she was currently reading. After a few moments passed, she looked back down into her book and resumed reading again. She was safe and occupied; that was all that mattered. He was able to relax again. His heart quickly slowed from its panicked pace.

"_I know about the dagger…" _echoed the residual voice of Belle in his mind. His vision was telling him something. _Does she know?_

There was only one way to find out. He needed to know whether or not his dream was valid. He turned away from the window and scanned the room looking for her purse. It was the last place he remembered putting the fake dagger when he insisted on giving it back to her. If she didn't know about the switching of the blades, then it would still exist in her purse. But if she knew about the dagger's twin…

Belle's purse sat on the kitchen counter next to the fridge. He strode quickly over to it and immediately began sifting through the contents of her purse, but there was no blade.

"It's not there," she said to him. Hearing her voice startled him, but he immediately recovered trying not to look so guilty. Rumple was so focused on his search that he didn't realize Belle was watching him the entire time.

"What's not there?" he said feigning ignorance.

"…You know, the one item that is supposed to symbolize our trust in one another," she said leaning against the open door's frame with arms crossed and an eyebrow raised. Her voice was unemotional and somber.

"Where is it?" he asked with concern.

"When I got kidnapped by Elsa I tried to call you on my cell phone, but the weather she was causing was interfering with the signal so I couldn't reach you. Fortunately, I had my purse with me and in it the dagger, so I thought to summon you for help. When Elsa caught me with the dagger she assumed I was going to threaten her with it, so she magically froze the dagger in my hands and caused me to drop it. When it fell it shattered. When the dagger broke I thought she had killed you, but deep down I should have known that something as simple as ice couldn't destroy your dagger like that. So when I saw you come for me, it told me all I needed to know."

Belle sighed, "So, now you're wondering, _am I angry_?" she said moving closer to him by the kitchen counter. She shook her head, "I should be angry… but I'm not… I can't be angry because that's not what I feel. What I really feel…," looking into his eyes, "…is disappointment. So please don't confuse what I say for anger because despite all of this… I still love you. I love you very much." She looked down for a moment then looked back up at him with saddened eyes, "So what reason, in all the realms, have I given you to still not trust me?"

After hearing Belle's words Rumple was suddenly filled with shame and embarrassment. She had caught him and he was left flabbergasted. "I… I do trust you sweetheart," he stuttered fumbling with his words, "It's everyone else I don't trust. I didn't want to be manipulated again like I was with Zelena and I knew that everyone knew Regina gave you my dagger. I thought that in order to truly hide it, I'd give you the fake. That way everyone continued believing you had it, including yourself."

Belle disapprovingly shook her head, "But Rumple, I'm not everyone else… I'm your _wife_. What if another 'Elsa' had come along and wanted to hurt me to get to you and I couldn't defend myself? Before we got married I even offered to help hide it again. But you insisted that I keep it and you tossed that fake dagger toward me. What you didn't know is that you were essentially tossing me into danger without any way to protect myself. You left me vulnerable to anyone who'd attempt to call you out on your bluff. If I had the real one I could have, at least, summoned you for help, but with the fake one you put me in harms-way to anyone with magic. Everyone knows I have the dagger in my possession… this is not an unknown fact… So you put me in an awkward position… and trapped me in a lie with no way out."

She shuffled her feet and fidgeted anxiously. Her emotions were bubbling to the surface and she could feel the heat rise to her cheeks forming a blush. She looked down at her wedding band and started moving the ring around on her finger, "I told you… on our wedding night… that you were worthy of me, but apparently you don't think I'm not worthy of you, or your trust." Her bottom lip trembled and her eyes began to water, "Rumple, I don't deserve this. Not only is it not fair… it's not right. I think for as long as we've known each other and for what we've been through together, I deserve a little more credit than that."

Knots were twisting in both of their stomachs, but for different reasons. They had come to an impasse. He had no words to say to her and she was waiting for the reason he didn't trust her, so they both said nothing. Belle was finding the large cabin and the silence they were sharing just a bit too much and she began to feel a bit claustrophobic. "I don't feel good," she stated to him breaking the silence once more, "I'm going to uh, go… step back outside and… maybe get some fresh air for a while."

She left Gold standing in the kitchen dumbfounded. She walked out to the porch again and sat back down on the rocker. She lifted the book that saved her place and pretended to read its' content, but she was far too consumed in the thoughts that swirled in her mind. Belle was disgusted, but mostly mournful. She mourned over the idea that her husband still didn't trust her, and the thought left her unsure where their relationship stood now. She stared at the words in her book, but as the tears from her face splattered along the pages she was finding it difficult to concentrate; each drop was a reminder of why she was upset to begin with.

Rumple left the kitchen to greet his wife, but her back was to him. He stared at the back of her head and reflected. He knew he needed to do something. He couldn't just stand there. The conscience he had ignored for centuries out of habit was telling him something; what he should have done from the beginning. And it was in that moment he finally gave in and listened to it. He immediately knew just what to do. He approached Belle hesitantly and murmured to her delicately, "I'll be gone for a few moments…"

His fingers began to fidget, he wanted to reach out to her but wasn't sure how she would react to his touch. "I promise I'll be back in five minutes." She nodded, acknowledging him, but remained silent.

The one-sided argument was heated, but she remained steadfast in her convictions. She wasn't going to leave him like he had commanded of her all those years ago. Not only did he regret their separation for all those years, but so did she. Belle figured he just needed his space to think, because the truth was, she needed space to think too. So at least, in that aspect, she could respect the courtesy he displayed to her by letting her know of his departure even if it was only five minutes.

Rumple was true to his word and came back to her five minutes later. She heard his footsteps coming closer. When he got within her peripheral vision she turned to look at him. Not only did he return to her so quickly, but he returned holding the real dagger. He humbled himself and approached Belle getting down on one knee, holding the dagger up to her. Rumple felt it appropriate and wanted to see her eye to eye without her having to move to meet his. The real blade rested flat in his open hands like a peace offering. He presented The Dark One Dagger allowing her, and only her, to access its' power.

"My darling Belle, I am so… so sorry. The last thing I ever wanted to do was put you in danger… and, you're right. You were right about everything. I still have issues trusting." Belle briefly looked at the blade in his hands, but was more interested in the words her husband was saying to her. When he saw that she didn't respond right away he replied, "It pains me knowing you're disappointment in me. And sweetheart… I am trying so very, _very_ hard to be the man you want me to be." She stared into his pleading eyes. His face begged for her to forgive him.

"I am still learning how to trust and in my past… well, trusting others has proven to me time and again to be detrimental. So please forgive me and my nasty habit of self-preservation because for the longest time the only person I could trust was myself. Trusting is not easy for me. It never had been, until I met you. And it wasn't until I met you that I had just started learning how." He took in a nervous breath, "I'm not perfect and that's because beneath this monster I am still this incredibly flawed man."

He appeared to be fumbling with his next words, but he never broke his focus on her. "Please know, that I would give my life for you if it meant protecting you…"

"I know you would," Belle responded, tears forming in her eyes, "you already have." Thinking back to when he sacrificed his life to destroy Pan. Belle glanced at the dagger he was offering and wondered about the blade's dangerous history. How much blood did it shed? How many deaths did this Dark Curse cause? How much was it his decision? How much was it the curse? It made her wonder about the danger it presented and the future danger this weapon still had in store for them. The thought was foreboding and it made her hesitant to even touch the weapon.

"_You_ are my better half. You are my partner. You are my true love and… you are my wife. And since you are all of these things the only appropriate solution is to find a better hiding spot for this…" he said rocking the blade that was cradled in his hands, "…together."

Rumple moved the dagger closer to Belle, "Please, take it," he encouraged. Belle braved the temptation and touched the dagger hesitantly.

"But," asked a confused Belle, unsure of his intentions this time, "I wouldn't know what to do with it? All I had wanted to do before was just summon you."

"Then, for both our sakes, let's hope that's all you'll ever need to know."

Belle lifted the blade gently off from Rumple's outstretched hands.

"How will I know it works?" she asked. The dagger felt deceptively heavy. It felt as if she was carrying around all the souls from all the people that died from this very blade. The metal even seemed to give out a small vibration, as if the enchanted weapon was recognizing its new master. The eerie sensation caused her break her trance. She looked up hoping to seek his face for assurance, but he had disappeared! His sudden disappearance surprised her. She looked around and then back down at the dagger in her hands. He was giving her consent to test the blade and summon him. So she stood up. Not that she had any magical experience, but she figured that anyone who possessed the dagger had it with confidence and felt it appropriate to take on this new authority with two feet planted to the ground. With timid breath, she studied the grooves with her fingers tracing slowly along each letter of his name. _Rumplestiltskin_.

Whenever it came to magic, Belle always felt insufficient and just plain silly. Like when she had to perform the spell to protect the town from unwelcomed visitors to Storybrooke, or when she had to figure out the sand dollar he gave her. However, they were the only two people in the woods at the cabin. They were safe. And she felt it okay to be silly in front of the person she loved. So she muscled up the courage and stated calmly and softly into the blade like it was an actual person, "Rumplestiltskin, I summon thee."

"I think, my dear, you're gonna have to say my name just a wee bit louder if I'm to hear you from across the realms, or, at least from this porch."

Rumple appeared from out of thin air and at the opposite end of the porch from Belle. Belle smiled at Rumple and gestured with the dagger for him to come closer to her. Rumple, compelled by the Dark Curse's magic, mirrored the motion of the dagger and smirked as he gladly got closer to Belle. Belle deliberately placed the dagger on the porch banister next to him. She wanted to immediately relinquish the power back to him and hoped that by doing so, she was giving him reason to trust her.

"Well," replied Belle getting intimately close, wrapping her arms lovingly around him, "let's just hope that the price to magically summon you is the price of a kiss." She looked up into his eyes, forgetting about the dagger's presence along with the rest of the world. He was her sole focus and nothing else.

"That dear, is a price I'll gladly pay for eternity." Rumple bent down and his lips met hers. Time seemed to slow but they didn't care. They continued kissing passionately, almost forgetting to come up for air. Even with eyes closed their lips pressed on, cementing their love again and again.

* * *

**Hi guys. Watched Disney's Beauty and the Beast for the first time with my niece yesterday. It was priceless. Brought back great memories. Felt it appropriate to share this moment with you all given that the topic of my story is, well… about BatB. It was also my excuse for not posting yesterday, so there.**

**Oh, and btw, this chapter is truly significant to me because it became the platform to my whole story. This particular chapter was, at first, a short story. But then I wanted to explain how and why our favorite characters reacted the way they did to lead up to the discovery of the fake dagger. There needed to be more to the story and to explain why. So I started with this chapter and then I went backwards in explaining how the characters got to this point, all the way to their wedding vows. Weird I know. Everything after this chapter was an afterthought after I started actually writing the story at the beginning of July (and if you just understood that last sentence, you're a genius). What I didn't realize was that it would take me this long to tell it. Oi.**

**Special thanks to Montreat11, Grace5231973, BreathingintheSun and NatalieMosherRumbelle for all your beautiful words and assistance. I'm just constantly trying to push through this story, trying to beat my rapid publishing and trying to not look back. Getting all these complex ideas and intricate thoughts out by a deadline… not gonna lie… kind of sucks. I've never pushed/disciplined myself this much in creative writing before, so I hope you guys at least catch what I'm throwing at ya. When the story is complete, I do intend on personally going through it again and editing it with a clearer head and fresher eyes. And then maybe… just maybe… adding on some addendum "fluff" chapters. Who knows? Time will tell on that one. Thanks for reading. Thanks for reviewing. See you next chapter.**


	22. Dressed to Impress

"You know, uh… seeing you without your suit jacket and vest is still a bit disorienting," said Belle gawking at his attire. He was wearing a white long-sleeved dress shirt and left the top button unbuttoned; and instead of the usual black pants he wore dark navy slacks that accompanied his black dress shoes. It was a nice change for her to see him in something less formal. It gave the illusion that he was actually relaxing.

"I can still wear my jacket," he said looking around their bedroom at the cabin, "it should be around here somewhere-"

"No! No, I… I like it. It's fine, just different that's all. Look, I doubt we're going to come across anybody to impress out here in the woods."

Rumple smirked, adjusting the cufflinks on his arms. He slowly strutted towards his wife and replied, "Not anybody, just you." He gave her a quick peck on the cheek. "You ready?"

"Yeah, where are you taking me?"

"Just a little ways into the woods," he said taking her hand, "Come. I want to show you something."

It was another beautiful day of their honeymoon, but it was nearing the end of their stay. The sun was shining and its' rays peeked in between the branches and leaves of the tree tops as they walked hand in hand through the forest. They walked peacefully in silence, reveling in this rare moment they were finding themselves in. After about fifteen minutes or so, they came across a shimmering river that basked beautifully in the afternoon sun. Rumple stopped beside the flowing river and turned to face her.

"Look, I brought you out here because I wanted to let you in on what I plan to do about the dagger situation."

"Ok," she replied, eagerly waiting for him to tell her more.

"I think you should continue carrying the fake dagger."

"Oh Rumple…"

"Wait, hear me out… since everyone thinks you still wield the Dark One dagger why don't we let them continue thinking that? Here," he said lifting her left hand, "let me see your wedding band."

She took off her wedding ring and handed it over to him. He did the same and placed both bands in his left palm. "Now place your left hand over mine."

She complied. However, she was curious if not anxious to see how their wedding rings were going to solve their issue with the dagger. "You had mentioned that if someone had come to threaten you, you had no way to defend yourself."

He waved his right hand over their left hands. The rings beneath their palms seemed to burn and chill rapidly as if magically searing the connection into their skin.

"If the power of the dagger is what they seek then give them what they want and hand them the fake dagger…" he took his wedding band and placed it back on his finger and then he placed hers back on her ring finger, "…and when that happens, you are to immediately take your ring, remove it, flip it around and put it back on the other way. When you do that, you will disappear from where you are and reappear by my side."

Belle's mouth accidentally fell open, excited over the proposition. It was brilliant.

"But don't get too excited… the spell wears off once it has been enacted. That's the price. It's not forever, so it's only for emergencies. What do you think?" He looked at her gauging her reaction.

She gave an appreciative smile and nodded agreeably, "I like it. _Much_ better than the previous one."

"Good," he replied kissing her hand. A light warm wind blew through the air and caused their hair to sway. She grinned looking at his gorgeous face. The light from the river refracted and danced along their faces. She loved the person he was turning into. The sparkle on his face reminded her of how he used to look back in their land. His face back then glittered with gold, but this time, his face along with hers glittered naturally in the light like a heavenly glow. No curse, just pure, clean and new. Like a fresh start. She couldn't figure out why this moment pleased her so, but it was definitely enough to give her pause.

"But why tell me here? Why couldn't you have told me this at the cabin?"

"I could have but," he said reaching for both of her hands, "this is the last day of our honeymoon and I was trying to be romantic."

"_Yeah?_" she sensed a hidden agenda. She looked into his eyes and was trying to read in between the lines.

"That and… I figured you would be more inclined to my idea if I had suggested it in the proper setting."

"Mmm, you are quite the showman, aren't you?" she smirked.

"That I am."

"This whole time, you really were just trying to impress me?"

"It's the shirt, isn't it?" he said letting go of her hands for a moment to straighten it for her.

"You know, I don't ever see you dressed in white," she noticed, reaching for his hands and holding them once more.

"Only on occasions when it's to impress you, but just for you when we're alone… in the middle of the woods," he said trying to be clear. She could tell that wearing light colors was not his style, which only proved to her that he had only dressed this way to impress her, and it worked.

"C'mon then, let's head back," she said tugging his hands, "Heaven forbid if someone else besides me catches you wearing something other than a suit."

And they walked back to the cabin hugging each other side by side.

… …

They were relieved when all was unpacked from the car. All their clothes were clean before they left the cabin so there wasn't much left for them to clean when they got home. When all their toiletries were stowed and placed in their usual spots, Belle started in on her luggage. Rumple opened his coat bag and began putting away his dress coats in their closet. Belle opened the top dresser when Rumple asked, "What are your plans for dinner tonight?"

"I haven't checked the pantry, but I believe we can scrounge something together," she answered folding and putting away a couple of sweatshirts into the unit.

"I was thinking," he said as he plucked another suit and stowed it carefully in the closet, "that we should go out."

"_Out?_" Belle questioned. It wasn't typical for Rumplestiltskin to voluntarily venture out and socialize publicly, unless it was for business purposes.

"Yes, to eat dinner. I think it's typical of most couples to do that in this land."

"Yeah I got that, but what's the reason? We've only eaten at Granny's-"

"I was thinking of something a little bit fancier than that. I know of an Italian restaurant called Tony's. I know the owner and he owes me a favor."

Belle sighed, "What does he owe you?"

"I gave him a business loan. He missed a payment once, but ever since then he has been up to date. Nothing more," he said trying to reassure her.

Belle turned to face him and eyed him skeptically. He did run this town after all, financially anyways. It was also getting close to dinner time and if truth be told she wasn't in the culinary mood either. "Ok," she consented, placing the last article of clothing into the dresser drawer, "but we're there strictly for leisure. No business."

"Belle," he began to say choosing his next words carefully. He wasn't about to make a deal he couldn't uphold, "I just want to spend the last day of our honeymoon relaxed because tomorrow," walking over to Belle and grabbing her sweetly by the hands, "we go back to work."

"Ah," she sighed disappointedly._ Work. Right. Back to Storybrooke reality. _They did have a life beyond the cabin_._ The fact was quite sobering.

"Just give a few minutes to get ready," he said kissing her hand and parting from her, "and we'll get going." He turned away from her placing the last pair of shoes from his bag onto the shoe rack in the closet.

"And I was just getting used to it being just the two of us."

* * *

**A nice short chapter.**

**Thank you: BreathingintheSun, Grace5231973, Montreat11, NatalieMosherRumbelle. I'm so glad you guys enjoyed the previous chapter. It's probably my favorite too. And your comments are absolutely touching. Really. Reading your responses always inspire me to write more. Thank you!**

**See you next chapter!**


	23. Bella Notte

The evening was crisp and the clear skies allowed the stars to shine brightly. They pulled in front of Tony's Restaurant and got out of the car. The valet stood idly by his post outside the restaurant until he saw Mr. Gold pull up and exit his vehicle. The valet immediately straightened his posture and hurriedly ran to greet Mr. Gold. Gold handed the gentleman his keys to park and walked around the front of the car to receive Belle. Another valet went to approach Belle's side of the door to open it when Gold stopped him, "Thank you, but I'll get it."

The valet looked scared and unsure what to do and simply stood there stunned. Gold reached into his pocket and pulled out a large bill handing it to the man. "I appreciate the effort, but for this, I insist."

"Of course sir," replied the valet. Gold then turned to his wife's door and opened it for her. He extended his hand and reached for hers. She couldn't help but smile as she laid her hand in his, accepting his assistance in getting out of the car.

"Thank you," she said blushing. Gold took Belle's hand and kissed it sincerely, "Always."

They entered the restaurant arm in arm and approached the Host together.

"Mr. Gold… uh…," the Host looked nervously down at his papers searching for his name, "do you… um, have a reservation?"

Just then the restaurant owner, Tony, intervened. "Mr. Gold," Tony said with a thick Italian accent, "I have a table for you. Please," he gestured, directing the couple with his hands, "right this way."

"Thank you Tony," replied Gold.

Tony guided Belle and Gold toward the back of the restaurant to a secluded area. Tony directed the couple to an open patio outside the restaurant. Belle marveled over how quaint and intimate the nook was and was genuinely surprised to see just the one table set for them. Green vines draped over the brick wall that surrounded the perimeter of the patio. And with the water fountain just a few feet from their table she could hear the peaceful sounds of the water collecting and dripping into the fountain's basin. The sight and sounds were so wonderful that it took her breath away; it was absolutely picturesque. Tony pulled out Belle's chair for her and she graciously took the seat, "Tony, this area is beautiful. Thank you so much for letting us sit here."

Gold took up the opposite seat and sat down with her. Tony smiled nervously back and forth between the two and replied, "Yes, well I owed Mr. Gold… a favor, to which I assume we're…"

"All set. Thank you Tony."

"Of course. Well, here are your menus," Tony said handing the pair the restaurant's menu's, "I'll give you two a few moments to look over it and your waiter will be with you shortly."

"Thank you," said Belle gratefully as Tony anxiously and eagerly left their table. Belle perused through the menu taking note of the cute logo in front; two dogs sharing a bowl of pasta and a moon hanging between their heads. They were barely through reading the appetizers list when a man appeared with a pitcher of water.

"Might I suggest the Linguine Alla Marinara," said Hook pouring water into the glasses before them, "I hear it's the restaurants' finest."

"Belle, I'm beginning to think you were right about staying home this evening," remarked Gold recognizing the intruder. "What on Earth are you doing here?" Mr. Gold questioned irritatedly. Belle sat there just as surprised as her husband. She was beginning to feel slightly put off from dinner by Hook's presence.

"I wanted to congratulate you on your nuptials. Tell me love," he said turning to Belle, "was it a beautifully intimate ceremony?"

"I _think_…" Gold said angrily through his teeth, "that if you want to keep your other hand, you'd be wise to leave now."

"Ah yes, the Crocodile returns," setting the pitcher down and bringing his hook closer to his body, "Actually, I've come to make a deal with you," Hook said, the point of his presence finally made.

"Couldn't you just visit him during his business hours?" suggested Belle. Belle and Gold were both getting put off from dinner with the pirate's presence. Gold lashed out, "Yes, you can just wait in line like the rest of this town… _tomorrow_."

"But you see," Hook began, scratching his upper lip, "the information I have to barter with is sensitive... _which_…" Hook chuckled, emphasizing on the word '_which_'. "…_which_ I think you'd prefer to not let fall on such," the pirate turned looking at Belle, "sensitive ears."

Gold paused at his last statement staring wearily at Hook, reading deeply into his last statement. It had to be important. Why else would the pirate risk losing another limb to warn him? "Besides," the pirate continued, "I haven't seen either one of you since Prince Neal's coronation ceremony… and after Queen Elsa defrosted the town I assumed you both had gone off to your honeymoon."

Belle twisted her face in confusion, but before Belle could figure out what the pirate wanted or meant by his weirdly articulated statement, Gold quickly replied, "Let's go outside. You have five minutes pirate." Gold immediately got up from his seat and turned to Belle, "Belle, I'm sorry. I know you said 'No Business', but the sooner I take care of this, the sooner he'll leave and the sooner we can resume our dinner," Gold turned his head giving Hook a scowl, "in peace."

Hook led the way to the back of the courtyard and opened the gate. The gate swung out of the courtyard and the two gentlemen found themselves just beside the restaurant. When they were just out of earshot from Belle, Rumple asked, "Now what's so important that you couldn't wait 'till morning?"

"The witch, Zelena." Hook said more seriously and in a hushed tone, "I know it was you who killed her."

"And what makes you so sure that it was me?"

"Because I was going to go kill Zelena."

Rumple's ears perked at Hook's declaration. Killian Jones had Rumplestiltskin's full attention. "I had seen Regina walk into the Sheriff's station to talk her sister. So I hung just outside the building waiting for Regina to leave the premises. When she did finally leave, I was about to go in and do the deed myself, but then I saw you enter the building. So I waited some more. Waited for you to leave. You did eventually leave and I entered the building only to discover that you had already beaten me to the punch. You see," Killian said looking somberly down at his feet. He was trying to put on a brave face in front of the Dark One as he reflected on a memory, "I got to spend some time with Baelfire in Neverland… and he meant a lot to me, to both of us." Hook paused to gauge Gold's reaction. Gold simply looked at him stone-faced. Hook reasoned, "Sure, everyone loved him, but we're the only ones in this town that not only loved the boy, but had the motivation to kill Zelena and the fortitude to actually follow through on a murder."

It's not that Rumplestiltskin didn't want Belle to know he killed Zelena, it's just that he didn't want her to know right now. It would be another disappointment and another argument he was unwilling to be confronted with on this gorgeous night. Rumple would have to tell her in his own time in his own way, but not tonight. And if Hook told Regina, then that was a headache that could wait for later as well. "What do you want?" he asked, cutting straight to the chase.

"Well… some time ago you did take off my hand," Killian said waving his hook at Gold, "I'd like to have a functional left hand again."

"Now what will the town say if they see you with two functional hands again?"

"That you righted a wrong… that you did it out of altruism because you're now a… _changed _man. If anyone asks how I was able to convince you of this good deed, I'll just say that I caught you in a happy disposition in light of your recent matrimony."

"Fine. Deal," Rumplestiltskin said extending his left hand. Killian thought it odd of Gold to offer his left hand instead of his right to confirm a deal, but when he looked down at his hook it was gone! Gold had already magically replaced his hook with a moving hand. Killian's mouth fell open in shock as he stretched and tested the dexterity of his new left hand. The moment was surreal as he had never felt anything in that stump for centuries. Gold coughed at Killian, breaking his trance.

"Oh, yes… deal," Killian said shaking Gold with his left hand. Gold left Killian awestruck as he headed back to the dinner table he and Belle were sharing. Killian turned around and followed after Gold into the courtyard once more. Belle could see Killian just over Gold's shoulders when he shouted at the couple. "Hanno una…" he began to say with a smile, waving with his new left hand, "…bella notte."

Killian left the courtyard and closed the gate behind him, leaving them to their solitude. Gold sat back down in his chair when Belle observed out loud, "He doesn't have a hook anymore. You gave him his hand back." The tone of her voice was out of surprise. "What was that all about?" she asked curiously.

Gold held up his menu and looked at it for a moment. He looked up over the parchment and replied with a smile, "He gave me some insight on something we had in common. And since it is such a beautiful night, he caught me feeling… altruistic."

* * *

**I hope everyone had/is having a lovely Labor Day weekend. Went mountain climbing. It was a beautiful hike. Go to do some thinking for my story, and guess what? I got my second wind! Like, I know how to end my story! Woohoo! I'm sooooooo excited to tell it, but there just aren't enough hours in the day to spend to it. However, I will do my best to share it in time.**

**Thank you to BreathingintheSun, Montreat11 and Grace5231973 for your loyal reviewing. All reviews I get are like little gold nuggets of happiness. All lovely! Thank you, thank you, thank you!**

**Also, I hope you enjoyed reading my Lady and the Tramp chapter.**


	24. Another Early Morning

"_I have something wonderful to tell you…" _

"_I know about Zelena... I know that you're lying to me about the dagger…" _

"_Now I have to pay the price…"_

For the past three weeks Rumplestiltskin found himself waking up every morning abruptly. At first he thought it was his guilt convincing him to tell the truth, but the visions were occurring every morning; each one more vivid than the previous one. Something was happening. Belle already knew about his dagger. She had found out about it on her own. He laid there in their bed and found himself staring up at the ceiling. He couldn't sleep. He looked over at the face clock by the side of his bed.

5:26 a.m.

_Another early morning_, he thought to himself. He turned over to Belle's sleeping body and kissed her gently on the shoulder. He got out of bed and showered. Seeing that it was still very early he got himself ready for work and dressed himself in one of his well-pressed suits. He then went downstairs continuing his morning ritual preparing breakfast for the two of them. He entered the kitchen and with a flick of his wrist the coffee pot immediately sprung into life making coffee. He went to the fridge and opened the door picking out all the materials for another glorious breakfast.

Belle opened her eyes waking to the combined smell of coffee and eggs. She knew that Rumple was a light sleeper, but ever since their honeymoon, he was always awake before her. Although the smell of breakfast was a delightful surprise each morning, it did make her long for the days of their honeymoon when she would wake with him beside her. When she thought about it some more, she realized that she never really saw him sleep. It was as if he was always awake. She was the first of the two to fall asleep and he was coincidentally always the one to greet her when she woke. All of sudden, her stomach grumbled and she promptly got out of bed and sought out her husband downstairs.

When she rounded the corner to look in the kitchen she saw Rumple already eating breakfast. He stood over at the stove leaning against the counter reading the town's newspaper drinking coffee. The stove had extra counter top space that contained two bar stools in front of it. On that counter he neatly displayed her breakfast. Scrambled eggs with diced avocado, strawberries, pancakes and orange juice awaited her consumption. She took the stool at the bar and sat across from where he stood. "Good morning," he said sweetly.

"Good morning. Another restless night I gather. Are you sleeping ok?"

"I am sleeping," he answered taking another swig of his coffee mug before setting it down. He continued glimpsing at the newspaper one last time before setting it down as well. She took note of his reply, realizing that is was only a statement; it neither confirmed nor denied her observation. She figured he simply didn't want her to worry.

"I've always been a light sleeper. This curse, being the Dark One, has never allowed me to sleep well."

"I imagine," she began to say, stabbing the scrambled eggs on her plate with her fork, "that it must have been very alarming when you discovered that happening to you."

"At first, among the many other circumstances that were happening to me at the time, but over time I got use to it."

"Is there any more juice left?" She asked after downing the one glass in just seconds.

"I'll get some more on the way home."

"That's ok," she said attempting to get up from the stool, "I'll just make myself some…"

"tea?" he said, placing a hot cup of tea that was behind him in front of her. It seemed a little too coincidental for him to conveniently have a cup of tea waiting for her behind him.

"Magic. Really?" she eyed him with suspicion. She sat back down and accepted the cup of tea he offered.

"No," he said with a smile, "I just know how you love your tea every morning."

He turned away from her for a moment, rinsing out his finished mug and placed it in the dishwasher. Belle felt silly over the little accusation.

"So," Belle began, taking a sip of her non-magical tea, "I'm nearly done with stocking and organizing all the books in the library."

"And that's good, right?"

She delicately placed her cup down and began using her fork to cut into her pancakes, "No, it's not good. It means that there's nobody coming in and checking out books."

"Ah," he said recognizing her dilemma. He walked around the stove and met her on the other side of the counter.

Belle chewed on a few bites, contemplating on her issue. "If I can… somehow, get the word out there… maybe get the community involved…"

"Why don't you start a book club?" suggested Rumplestiltskin as he threw on his suit jacket that hung on the dining chair behind her.

"That," she said spinning in her seat, "is brilliant!" Her face lit up like a light bulb, excited over the new direction and potential role the library could have in the community. She got up from her stool and got closer to her husband. Before he was able to button his jacket, she snuck in her arms and wrapped them around his torso. "Thank you," she said grinning ear to ear. She leaned her head on his shoulder and they hugged each other tightly. She could smell the cologne he was wearing and found it, not only stronger than usual, but quite intoxicating.

"That one was free," he said humorously. Belle pulled away from him to look at his joking face. "Next one's gonna cost ya," Rumple said grinning mischievously.

"Come here," she smirked, pulling down on her husband's jacket. Their faces met and they kissed affectionately.

"This'll do," was all he could say while their faces stayed glued together. They kissed until their cheeks and noses were flushed. They didn't want to admit it out loud in fear of jinxing it, but this was the longest happy streak they had experienced in a long time. Was this what 'Happily Ever After' felt like? How long could they make this last? They weren't home, but they were _Home. _And Home was wherever they were, in this land or the next. Henry was safe, the town wasn't imploding, nobody sought retribution, it was for the most part peaceful. They pulled away from the joyous kiss and hugged each other tenderly. "How did I marry such a beautiful person?" she asked rhetorically.

"I ask myself the same question every day," he smiled more sincerely.

* * *

**Hello beautiful, wonderful, lovely people! I just wanted to throw in a plug about the "enchanted wedding ring" chapter. Chapter 22, I believe. I can't completely take credit for that. I was inspired by a short story written by fellow Rumbelle fanfiction writer, Montreat11. This writer is amazing! And if you like what I've written about Rumbelle so far, then you'll certainly enjoy Montreat's literature. Please, please, please go over and read/review Montreat11's Moments series. It is spot on and absolutely brilliant. You won't be sorry.**

**On a side note… Smiley-face, double-checkmark, A++, triple-gold stars to: Grace5231973, Montreat11, BreathingintheSun and Guest(?). It's always exciting to read reviews of people who were just as excited reading it as I was writing it. You guys always know how to warm my heart. See you next chapter!**


	25. Half of a Heart

CHAPTER – Half of a Heart

As soon as they arrived in town to work, Belle kissed her husband goodbye and they parted ways to their own establishments. It was agreed on the way into town that they would meet each other over at the library today instead of the shop for lunch. Unlike this past week, Belle had an objective in mind. She was brimming with ideas about her book club. Perhaps there were a lot of other people in town who matched her own enthusiasm in books? Maybe she could divide the group into two clubs: One adult and one junior. She shook her head at the idea. She was getting ahead of herself. She had to get the word out first and she needed to choose some books for her club to talk about.

As she walked around the library putting up the remaining books from her cart she realized that not only were there books from this world, but there were books from _their _world as well mixed in together. _This would be an excellent topic of conversation!_ She thought. She would find a book that she's read before from their world, and find another similar book from this world to compare it with. They could discuss the characters, their choices, how the morals aren't so different in this land as it is in theirs. _Brilliant!_ She proudly thought to herself.

On paper she drew out many drafts of the flyers she intended to post around town. When she finally committed to the best one, she went to the library's computer to digitally recreate what she planned on paper to the screen. Working the computer took some time, since all of her working knowledge of technology from this world came from Lacey, and it wasn't much. Sure Lacey could probably tell you all the delicious vodka combinations, but her knowledge on anything else was pretty limited.

She jabbed a few keys here and there, clicking the mouse this way and that, not realizing how much time had flown until her husband entered the library to greet her.

"Ah, so this is what you look like when you're in your element," he observed. He had a look of bemusement watching her focus and concentrate.

"I can't figure out this damn…" she said clicking the mouse repeatedly in frustration, "thing."

"I'm pretty sure two clicks should suffice."

"This isn't my element. Books are my element. Papers and pens are my element. But this… computers. Not my element."

He walked over to her behind the desk and looked at the monitor with her.

"What are you trying to do?" he asked.

"I'm trying to make _that _look like…" she lifted her sample to show him, "this."

"You've got the font there, but it appears you're looking to find the program to match your border."

Belle spoke many languages, but this was not one of them. "Um… what?"

"Do you mind if I, uh…?" he gestured to sitting in her chair to explain, to which she gladly obliged. She got up and gave him her seat and watched studiously. "This," he said using the curser on the screen to show her, "is the font and over here… if you want to choose a design, simply click on this… this is called a 'tab'. Then here… see… borders… then choose the design you want. Then click 'ok'."

"Font. Tab. Borders. Ok," she repeated back. The way he moved around the computer so comfortably was unbelievable. "Is there something in this land you don't know how to do?"

He chuckled at her reply, "Oh, there's plenty."

"Well thank you," she said reaching for her jacket.

"Actually, I came by to let you know that I can't make it to lunch today. I do hope you're not too disappointed."

"Is everything ok?"

"Yes, everything's fine. I just have a business meeting that requires my attention. It's rather time sensitive, actually."

"That's fine. I was going to print out these flyers anyways and go hang them around town."

"Are you sure it's alright? You don't mind?"

"Rumple," she said calmly, trying to ease whatever anxiety he had about disappointing her, "it's ok. Really! I think I can survive one lunch without you."

"Ok. I really am sorry about all this. I hate spending my personal time on business when I'd rather be spending it with you."

"Go on ahead. I insist. I was going to go into Granny's for lunch and catch up with some people anyways. Meet you back at your shop later?"

"Sounds great," he said.

"Good."

… …

Belle exited her library with a stack of flyers in one arm. She turned around and using her spare hand locked the door behind her. She made her way towards Granny's because she knew it was the most heavily trafficked building in the entire town; the village pub. She gleefully walked across the street to the diner and even caught herself skipping at one point. Before entering the diner, she flattened her skirt and did her best to keep her composure.

When she opened the door, she became bombarded by dozens of conversations that were happening simultaneously. She could see a couple of tables being tended to by their waitresses, some were in their booths laughing and enjoying their conversation, the chef was calling out ready orders from within the kitchen hitting the serving bell every few minutes. She knew that the diner was a busy spot, but she never been to it during an afternoon rush.

"Belle!" shouted a woman's voice she recognized. Belle turned to the sound and smiled when she saw that it was Ruby. "Hey!"

"Hey!" Belle called back. "I'm starting a book club. I was wondering if I could leave a few flyers here since this is the place where…" she said glimpsing around at the other people, "everyone seems to go to."

"Oh sure! Leave those here, I'll put them up in a moment. As you can tell we're really busy at lunch time."

"I can see that."

"But hey, don't be a stranger! Come on by sometime. I'm gonna need some help packing and moving soon."

"Why? Where are you moving to?"

"Nowhere. I'm consolidating. Now that we've got the Lost Boys staying with us at the Inn, we've got to make some room for the boys who aren't really boys anymore. Granny wants to give them their own space. So I offered to move some of my old stuff from the curse to give them that space."

"Well that's very kind of you."

"Yeah, well, I've got some items in there that I've been meaning to get rid of anyways. Let's just say I'm not ready to explain _certain_ items of clothing. But hey, I gotta run…"

"Oh no, I understand. You go on ahead! Thank you for putting the flyers up for me."

Ruby spun at her heels and turned to continue delivering food to their tables. Belle looked at all the people that were there. A few people she recognized, a few she didn't. She saw Leroy and some of his brothers occupying a booth. Then she saw Mary-Margaret and David walk in with Prince Neal taking up the next available table.

"Well hey stranger," called out Granny to Belle. Belle stopped her gawking and quickly turned to face Granny.

"Hi Granny," smiled Belle.

"Let me guess… two burgers, fries and two iced teas to go…"

"Actually, it's just me today, so just one order to go. And… I know this is going to sound strange but… instead of iced tea can you give me orange juice instead?"

Granny gave Belle a quick once-over, but before she could formulate an opinion she quickly replied, "Sure."

"Oh and Granny!" Belle called after the old woman seeing that she was turning to put her order in, "I'm starting a book club at the library. I already gave Ruby the invitation flyers to put up in the diner, but I was wondering if you knew anybody that worked at the schools? I'm trying to get everybody of all ages from the community to come out."

"That's the person to talk to," Granny replied pointing her pen at Mary-Margaret. Belle turned back around and placed a friendly hand on Granny's arm, "Thank you! You really are the best."

The old woman gave Belle a warm smile and left to put her order in. Belle turned leaving the counter to approach the Charmings at their booth.

"Belle!" greeted David holding baby Neal.

"Belle," said Mary-Margaret smiling, "It's so good seeing you."

"I believe congratulations are in order," said David, "Henry told us about your marriage to Rumplestiltskin."

"Congratulations," Mary-Margaret said sweetly. She paused for a moment, noticing something slightly different about Belle, "David, was I glowing that much after we got married?"

"Probably more so."

"Well thank you, both of you," answered Belle sheepishly. "I actually came over to talk to you…" she said looking at Mary-Margaret.

"Me?" Mary-Margaret said surprised.

"Here," said David offering the unoccupied booth to Belle.

"Thank you," Belle said gratefully, sitting down and getting a better look at the couple. "Yes, you see I'm starting a book club for the community, and I'm trying to spread the word to everyone of all ages. I figured that the school would be the best place to offer this extra-curricular activity."

"Oh yes! What a wonderful idea!" said Mary-Margaret excitedly. Belle took a flyer and handed it to her across the table.

"I was hoping with your past employment with the school system that you would know somebody to hand this to and help me spread the word."

"Of course, I certainly will and if anything, I'll definitely come. This is exciting!"

"That makes two of us. Well it's this Saturday, so hopefully, there should be a big turn out."

"I look forward to it," said Mary-Margaret beaming back. Belle reflected on the relationship she had with the Charmings. It was a brief correspondence when they were sent back to their land by Pan, but there was something missing as to how they returned to Storybrooke. It was now or never and she didn't know when the next opportunity would arise again for her to find out. Her curiosity begged her to know more.

"I've… been wanting to ask you both something," Belle continued. David and Mary-Margaret both nodded. "Now forgive me if my memory is a little vague, there was something unclear about the year we spent in the Enchanted Forest... When we were sent back, I remember coming to you guys and informing you about Rumplestiltskin's resurrection. I also remember us working together and traveling to the Dark Castle to talk to him about defeating Zelena. After your visit to Glinda, I remember you guys talking on the way back to your castle about going back to Storybrooke, about getting back to Emma… but I also recall that it was the Dark Curse that brought us to Storybrooke. Did you guys ever find out who it was that enacted it the second time? I thought that the steep sacrifice was giving up the heart of thing you love most. Was it Regina again?"

"Actually," David began, "it was us. We used my heart."

Belle did a double-take and looked back and forth between David and Mary-Margaret. She was confused, "Um, if you sacrificed your heart… then how are you still alive?"

"Regina helped us," answered David. Belle was still confused.

"Let me explain," insisted Mary-Margaret. "David's heart was used to enact the curse. You're right, in order to enact the curse you had to sacrifice the heart of the thing you loved most. And the person Regina loved most was Henry."

"And of course Henry was here, in this land," added David. "I told Snow to use my heart, and she did."

"So technically David was dead," continued Mary-Margaret. "He sacrificed himself. And then Zelena came and interrupted the process by altering the curse with memory loss."

"…which is why when we arrived back in Storybrooke," David contributed, "we didn't remember anything of the past year."

Mary-Margaret went on, "But she did eventually leave and it was in that moment I realized that my heart was strong enough for the both of us. So I asked Regina to split my heart. She was reluctant at first, but I insisted. Regina took my heart, split it in half and returned each half back into our bodies."

"So, let me get this straight," Belle said, "you two are functioning on only half a heart?"

"It worked!" Mary-Margaret pointed out.

"Snow's heart was strong enough for the both of us," concurred David.

Belle was stunned, "Wow… that's… amazing. I would have never pictured Regina doing something like that for you guys."

"She really has changed. Just like your Rumplestiltskin," stated Mary-Margaret. "Is it true that he gave Hook his hand back?"

"Yep, I guess they both have changed," remarked Belle. "Well, thank you for that. I always wondered what happened exactly. See you Saturday?"

"I'll be there."


	26. Food, Nausea & the Need for New Clothes

After picking up her solo order, Belle dropped off a few more flyers at the surrounding buildings next to the diner before returning to the library. She ate in peace as she wondered about the kinds of books that were familiar in this land versus the ones that have bled over from their world. So the next undertaking that she bestowed upon herself was to record all the books that were from their land and note all the books that were from this world.

So she decided to start at the back end of the library and slowly work her way forward. She came across some cookbooks that were from this world and began perusing through it; thinking fondly over the conversation she and Gold had that night about cooking. She smirked to herself as she thought about the prospects of learning and bonding with her husband over an activity they could do together. It was such a fantastic idea that she went ahead and set the book aside to check out for herself later.

She and Gold intended on food shopping anyways, so she picked a recipe she liked from the book and wrote down the materials needed and added them along with the original grocery list for the house. Nobody came to the library so she figured it safe to close early and went grocery shopping to finish out the remainder of the day.

She walked up and down the aisles of the grocery store and steadily marked items off of her list. All of sudden her stomach churned and a wave a nausea flooded to the surface. She must have eaten something funny at lunch today. _Strange_, she thought. She never felt this way after eating something from Granny's before. So she went down the coffee and tea aisle and picked out some ginger tea for herself, just in case it was reoccurring.

Belle finished grocery shopping and purchased all the items that were on her list. With arms full of groceries she walked outside the store and headed around the corner towards his car, placing all the items in the trunk. And like they had agreed at the beginning of the day, she entered his shop to meet him to go home together.

The door bell chimed as she entered his shop. Gold came out from beyond the curtain and smiled.

"Hey," he said greeting her with a quick kiss. "Belle I'm almost done here. Let me grab my jacket and we can go grocery shopping," he said walking back behind the curtain.

"I already went," she said following after him.

"What?" he said holding the coat, preparing to put it on.

"It wasn't exactly busy at the library today, so I closed up early and went food shopping. The food is in the car already. So I figured I'd come pick you up."

"Oh," he said pleasantly surprised. "Well," he said putting his arm through one sleeve and then the other, "let me close the shop and we'll head home."

… …

When they arrived home Gold helped Belle bring in the bags of groceries. They immediately deposited the bags in the kitchen and began emptying the contents.

"What's this?" Gold inquired pulling out the bottle of vanilla extract and baking powder.

"Ah, yes," she began to explain, putting the eggs and juice immediately in the fridge, "I came across a recipe from a cookbook I saw while categorizing the library." She walked over to Gold and removed the items gently from his hands and placed them neatly in the spice cabinet. "And I figured, since cooking and recipes are something we both have limited knowledge in, we can learn together. I brought the cookbook home with me. We can go through all the recipes if you want and we can find out what we like and don't like."

"I would like that," he smiled. He leaned up against the counter watching her put away the rest of the groceries. It was moments such as these that he felt most happy and it was always because of her that he felt this way. She opened the refrigerator door and placed some cheese into the unit. With a loaf of bread in hand, she turned to place it on the counter and found him gazing at her. He took the bread from her hands and placed it on the countertop behind him. He walked up to her and wrapped his loving arms around her. As they hugged he kissed her head and remarked, "My wife, always thinking… brilliant as she is beautiful."

They pulled apart getting ready to kiss on the lips when another ill-timed pang of nausea bubbled to her mouth. She gently placed a hand on her husband's lips to stop him.

"I'm sorry," she said placing the other hand protectively over her mouth. "I know just ruined the moment. It's not you… I must have eaten something bad at lunch today and it's been catching up with me since."

"Oh," he replied understanding. He went ahead anyways and followed through on that kiss by kissing her forehead. "Granny's," he concluded, "I always knew her food was something suspicious."

They separated from each other as she reached for the kettle to fill up with water. "I bought some ginger tea while I was at the market. Could you grab it for me? I think I placed it in the spice cabinet."

… …

"Ugh! This one too?!" Belle exclaimed, taking off another skirt from her body and tossing it to the floor. Gold was getting ready for work with her that next morning, hanging his tie around his neck. He turned to look at his flustered wife struggling to find an outfit.

"What's wrong?" he asked, adjusting his cufflinks.

"I've been eating too many burgers at Granny's. That's what's wrong."

"That makes two of us."

"I need to go on a diet."

"No you don't." He turned and approached his wife. "You are beautiful just the way you are," he said as he reached gently for her head and kissed it. He continued walking past her and stood in front of the mirror in the bathroom to finish adjusting the tie around his neck.

"Well, thank you, but I think I need to add exercising to my daily regimen. It couldn't hurt. Hey," she said turning to Gold, "If I started walking around the neighborhood every evening, would you walk around with me?"

"Of course," he called out from the bathroom.

"This will have to do," Belle said settling for a pencil black skirt with an elastic band.

"Why don't you just go clothes shopping this afternoon?" he suggested turning around to face her, buttoning up his vest as he exited their bathroom.

"I will," she said moving past him to use the bathroom mirror. She began adding some minor makeup to her face as she continued, "it's just the convenience of having clothes here when I need them."

"I could just conjure up some new clothes for you. I mean, you _are_ married to a sorcerer."

"You know how I feel about magic. There's always a price, no matter how small the request."

Gold chuckled to himself at Belle's last statement. "You know, if everyone believed as you do, I'd be out of a job. I once gave an emperor new clothes."

"Did you? That must have been… _revealing_," she remarked humorously.

He scoffed out loud, "You heard about that?"

"I read about it. It's in one of the books that are from this land. In fact, that's what the book club will be discussing at our meeting. You're more than welcome to join. Everyone is invited."

"I'm flattered by the invitation, however, I must decline. There's probably a lot of _me_ in those stories anyways. And I'm… just not ready to have those discussions quite yet."

Belle let out a disappointed sigh, "Alright. Suit yourself."

"And speaking of suit," he added, getting one last glimpse of himself using the bathroom mirror. He sighed out loud signaling his readiness for departure. "Well, I'm ready to go," he said throwing on his suit jacket, "are you?"

"Yeah," Belle said, heaving one last frustrated sigh as they both grabbed a few personal items before walking out the front door to head into town for work.

* * *

**Another short chapter before… well… before we go down another rabbit hole. ;) I'm so glad you all are still reading along with me. These domesticated chapters have been fun but we really must press on. So much to tell and with little time to tell it!**

**And speaking of which, I must ask you of your opinion… I know I had originally set up my due date to complete this story by September 28th, but…**

**Ok, here's the deal. I'm leaving the United States from Sept.17th-28th and where I'm going… there aren't going to be opportunities to access my laptop, let alone the internet. So my due date is a lot sooner than expected Sept.17th (to be precise), which is not enough time for me to tell the story I want to tell. My original reasoning for having the Sept 28th deadline was so that my story had potency. I wanted my Original vision of Season 4 out there untainted because I'm betting that when I see the season premiere my head will be spinning with ideas on what I could do or what I should have done, questioning and doubting the direction of my story. I understand that it must be weird of me asking you guys, since you have no idea (or maybe some idea) how I'm ending the story. I mean, how can you judge a story you haven't completely read yet? I don't know. I'm getting lost in my head space and am reaching out to you for guidance.**

**So I suppose what I'm asking is… does it matter to you guys? Do you guys care that I don't complete it by the S4 airing? Would you keep reading, if what I write completely derails from what you see on the show? At this point where I'm at in writing the story I'm taking A LOT of liberties already. I could totally do a condensed version, but it will most likely seem abrupt. I got through the Frozen hurdle, that was important to me, but I wanted to give the rest of the story the justice and quality it deserved. So what do you all think?**


	27. Unexpected Apology

Belle spent a good portion of her morning walking around the library with a clipboard in her hands documenting all books. Section by section, she looked at each individual book. As if with a fine-toothed comb, she carefully wrote down book titles distinguishing the ones native and foreign to this land. Although the task was arduous and monotonous, she found it quite exciting. So she hung about the library's giant catalog and went through each card. It was fairly easy to distinguish between the two kinds of books; the Storybrooke books had very thorough information like published dates, publishers and author names. Unlike the books from their land which had little to no information to their accreditation besides the author's name.

It was another peaceful morning at the library until Belle heard the library doors open. She paused her task and wondered what time it was. She looked at the library's clock that was hanging on the wall beside her.

10:37 a.m.

_It's way too early for Rumple to be meeting me for lunch, _she thought. So she concluded that it had to be another citizen from the community genuinely interested in checking out a book. She quickly set down the clipboard on top of the catalog's metal drawers and excitedly walked over to the person who entered the establishment.

"Belle?" shouted a woman's voice. Belle headed down an aisle and rounded a bookshelf to discover Emma Swan by the circulation desk.

"Emma," Belle said with surprise. "I don't suppose you're here to check out a book?"

"Not exactly," she replied with a serious look on her face. Belle never considered herself an expert on reading body language, but she could tell that there was something else on her mind. "Mary… _Mom_… said that you were handing out flyers for your book club."

"Are you planning on coming?" Belle said excitedly as she ran behind the front desk to her pile of extra flyers.

"I'm thinking about it. However, when you're sheriff you don't exactly get a day off."

"Ah, I understand. Well, Sheriff, I think you're doing a fine job."

"Thank you," Emma said with a weighted sigh, "It's a thankless job, that's for sure. Oh! I never got a chance to congratulate you on your marriage. Congratulations."

"Thank you," said Belle, blushing a little bit. She moved a couple books on her desk, and upon finding the pile of flyers handed over one of the copies to Emma.

"Hold on to it. In fact, bring the copies with you."

"I'm sorry, are we going somewhere?" Belle asked confused.

"There's a person I want you to meet down at the Sheriff Station. You can post some flyers up along the way there."

"Oh, ok," replied Belle, finding Emma's request to the station a bit cryptic. However strange the request was, Belle trusted Emma and consented to go with her. For all Belle knew, it could have been someone from her past that was still searching for her, "uh, let me just grab my things and lock up the library and we can get going."

Belle hastily grabbed her keys, threw some tape into her pocket and with the pile of flyers in her arm, they both exited the library's doors. After a few minutes of walking in silence, Belle realized that there weren't really many occasions where she was one-on-one with Emma. She thought about the rough interactions they had shared in the past, and although their relationship to each other had gotten off to a bad start she was willing to let bygones be bygones out of respect for the one person they had both cared about… Neal.

Belle reflected on her time spent in the Enchanted Forest with Neal. She mourned briefly over the time lost to Emma and Neal due to Zelena. Belle understood the feeling all too well; of seeing your loved one sacrifice himself to save you. It was an indescribable feeling and something Belle didn't wish upon anybody, even her worst enemy. And with all the commotion of what happened with Elsa, it made her wonder how she even arrived in Storybrooke to begin with. With the town resuming 'normal' activities, Belle assumed that Emma knew of Elsa's current whereabouts. After all, Emma was Storybrooke's Sheriff. It would have been very negligent of Emma if she wasn't kept apprised of the town's safety, especially if Elsa lurked around town.

"So… I have to ask," Belle began breaking the silence, "how _did_ Elsa manage to get to Storybrooke?"

"Well, to be honest, I think Killian and I accidentally brought her back from Zelena's time portal."

"You went to _past_?"

"Yeah, now that it's officially in the past I think it's safe to say that we actually visited you and Rumplestiltskin once, at the Dark Castle."

"_Really?_" Belle asked inquisitively. Belle thought back in her past and wondered if she ever remembered seeing Emma at the Dark Castle. But because it was so long ago, and because Rumplestiltskin had made so many deals that she gave up in even trying to remember.

"Yep. I have to admit, seeing and being in his castle was a little more intimidating than visiting his Pawn Shop. And _he_…" Emma said referring Rumplestiltskin, "was incredibly frightening. I mean, it definitely caught me off guard seeing him for the first time in full Dark One form. Poor Neal," Emma reflected, empathizing with her deceased loved one, "I can only imagine what it must have been like as a kid growing up with Rumplestiltskin as his father."

"So wait," said Belle as she approached a public bulletin board pinning one of her flyers to it, "you interacted with us? Couldn't that have disrupted the whole space-time continuum?"

"I almost did, actually. I almost never existed because I had accidentally altered the way my parents met. Long story short, it was Rumplestiltskin in the end that helped make sure we didn't destroy the future."

"Because if he didn't," Belle concluded, "then he wouldn't have been reunited with his son. But how come he doesn't remember? I never heard him mention the significance of your arrival before."

"It was one of those the-less-you-know-the-better kinds of situations."

"Ah, yes, you're right. That would have been another alteration to the future."

"Besides, Mr. Gol… Rumplestiltskin… made himself a special… Forgetting Potion. For the longest time it seemed like he was helping us, but then later he didn't help us."

"What do you mean? How so?" Belle asked completely confused. A few telephone poles were en route to the Sheriff's office and she began taping her flyers to them.

"Well, Rumplestiltskin _did_ do his part in finding us a way home… and we tried to get home right then and there, but it required magic from me and I thought I was still cursed by Zelena. So Killian and I were stuck with Rumplestiltskin; and he didn't know what to do with us, so he threw us in this room with no doors or windows thinking that we were either too dark or too unpredictable."

"Oh," Belle briefly interrupted, remembering the very room he had warned her to stay away from during her stay at his castle. "I know exactly of the room you're talking about."

" So there we were, stuck in that room. There were many odd end items in there and I think Killian might have knocked over a pot. Anyways, for a good while I struggled trying to get my magic back. And with Zelena dead I technically should have had my powers back, but I didn't believe in it then. Eventually I was able to figure out my magic and Killian and I were able to get home. And I think… it was then that we accidentally brought something else back. I believe that's how Elsa got to Storybrooke."

"Wow, that's quite a tale."

Emma scoffed over what Belle said, "You know what's funny? Rumplestiltskin said the exact same thing when I was trying to convince him that we were from the future."

"So… where is Elsa now?" Belle asked with concern as they approached the Sheriff's station.

"Funny now that you mentioned it," said Emma holding open the door for Belle as they walked through. Belle looked at Emma suspiciously, wondering what she meant by the comment. Belle entered the building and cautiously walked down the hall with Emma to the Sheriff's office. When they entered the room she saw Dr. Hopper sitting in one of the vacant chairs.

"Archie?" Belle asked.

"Belle," Dr. Hopper said greeting Belle with a friendly hand shake, "I'm so glad you could come."

"Emma," said Belle starting to panic, "What's going on? What's Archie doing here?"

"He's here because of me," said Elsa entering the room. Belle was feeling cornered, like she had just fallen into a trap.

"You guys do realize that she tried to hurt me, right?" Belle explained, nervously looking back and forth between Emma and Dr. Hopper.

"I'm here to apologize to you Belle," said Elsa with blunt honesty. Instead of the shimmering blue dress that Belle remembered seeing her in, she wore something modern; a pair of jeans and a pastel green cashmere sweater. Elsa timidly approached Belle and went for the closest chair to sit down. She was trying to look as peaceful and non-threatening as possible.

"And I'm here," inserted Dr. Hopper, "because for the past few weeks she's been seeking therapy from me. Emma sought for my assistance when Elsa spoke of wanting to assimilate to Storybrooke. So I told her, that the best step in wanting to be part of this town, would be to make amends to all the people she's wronged. She mentioned having wronged you. So instead of having her approach you by herself, we," Hopper said gesturing to himself and Emma, "thought it would be best to be here to buffer any hostility that may still be there between you two and to make sure you were both safe while she approached you to apologize."

Belle was definitely caught off guard by the whole situation and wanted to be angry with their presumption, but after a few moments to collect her thoughts she realized that they did do all this out of concern for her as well.

"Belle… I _am_ sorry. Please… if there's anything I can do to make up for what I've done to you, I'll do it. I am in your debt."

For a moment Belle was speechless and wondered if this was what it was like to be her husband; having someone being in debt to you. She had seen the deals her husband made when they were living in the Dark Castle together. Deals, debts and favors were all guises for power and she wanted no part in it. She had no desire for power, even when she was still a princess being groomed for royalty she knew that kind of life wasn't for her. She understood a long time ago that power wasn't necessarily bad, just misunderstood. Power, like magic, is only an illusion. And that was why she had an aversion toward it.

She realized, whether it was being in debt to someone or someone in debt to you, she didn't like it. Belle believed that if people were to do good deeds, then they should do it out of their own volition. Not because they felt obligated to. Actions spoke more to a person's character than owed intentions ever would. And if Elsa claimed to be this inherently good and misunderstood person, then she should prove it by doing good for others. Belle didn't need or want anything from her, so why wait to be called upon to perform a good deed? It didn't make sense to her. So much time is wasted already on procrastination and selfishness, and Belle felt it selfish of her to take that favor. Especially when that time could have been better spent on helping others who desperately needed it.

So Belle replied, "I accept your apology. However, you are not in my debt. Unlike my husband, I don't believe in that sort of thing. If you do feel the need to do something for your guilt, I suggest you help the next stranger who comes into town. And instead of freezing them, help them. Who knows? That person may even be your enemy, but in my experience, those are the people who are struggling the most and deserve the most help. So if you are in debt to anyone, it's to those people."

"I will do that. Thank you," acknowledged Elsa, "That was very diplomatic of you."

"I was a princess once," Belle remarked, shrugging her shoulders nonchalantly, "I remember a thing or two from back then."

"And you never stop being one," Elsa smiled, "You would have made a fine Queen in your kingdom."

"Thank you, I appreciate that. But um… that isn't my life anymore. And I'm actually quite happy here in Storybrooke… much happier than I ever was as a princess in a kingdom," Belle said trying to welcome Elsa to the idea of Storybrooke. "We're all equals here, all striving to be happy. And I just hope that you can find your happiness here too."

"I will certainly do my best," stated Elsa as she looked at Dr. Hopper expectantly.

"Well that certainly went well," observed Dr. Hopper, "I suppose we should just head down to my office and we can resume the rest of our session there."

Elsa nodded in concurrence to Dr. Hopper then turned to Emma, "Thank you Emma."

"Of course, no problem," Emma replied. Belle remained behind with Emma and they both waited for the pair to leave. When they were finally gone Belle asked curiously, "What problem were you expecting?"

"I don't know… maybe she'd do something, or Mr. Gold would intervene on your behalf…"

"I may not have magic, but I can certainly take care of myself."

Emma, surprised by Belle's confident response, apologized, "I'm sorry I ever doubted you."

"It's ok. Just don't surprise me like that again. Tell me next time. I can handle it. Trust me… I've handled and dealt with many beasts before Elsa arrived."

"I believe you."

"Here," said Belle remembering the original reason for her coming with Emma to the Sheriff's office. She handed Emma a good chunk of her stack of flyers, "spread the word and uh, invite Henry too."

"Invite Henry where?" asked Regina as she strode into the Sheriff's office.

"Regina," Belle said, surprised to see Regina, "I was just telling Emma to invite Henry to my book club this coming up Saturday."

"Are those your signs I keep seeing around town? Well, besides the paper being wasted and the potential litter on the ground… I actually think it's a good idea and a great extra-curricular activity for Henry and young kids alike."

"Thank you?" questioned Belle, unsure whether Regina's comment was intended to be a compliment or ridicule. Realizing that it wasn't beyond Regina's vernacular to be condescending, she decided to go with a compliment.

"If I didn't know any better, I would say that sounded like a compliment," commented Emma.

"Which reminds me," Regina said facing Emma and almost completely ignoring Belle, "we need to talk about Henry's education. I think, now that everyone's settling in, he needs to focus a little more on his studies and I think with some encouragement on your part he'll be more inclined to do so."

Seeing that her presence was no longer needed there, Belle decided to exit the building and chimed briefly, "Thank you Emma."

"Thanks Belle."

"Send my regards to Gold… and oh," Regina began, remembering something and turning to Belle, "that's right you both got married." Her tone was very sour and the way she said it sounded like she was stating some trivial fact.

"Yep," stated Belle, standing awkwardly in front of the Mayor and Sheriff.

"Well congratulations on your marriage," said Regina bitterly. There was almost a hint of jealousy in her voice. "I'm sure you and Gold are just blissfully happy, but just be careful dear," the Mayor warned blithely, turning her back on Belle.

"Careful of what?"

Regina looked down at Emma's desk and began leafing and picking through Emma's organized paperwork, "Well, if you guys are anything in love like the Charmings… you'll have little Dark Ones running around and I think this town can only handle one Dark One."


	28. Sleepless in Storybrooke

_Little Dark Ones? LITTLE DARK ONES?! Could this woman be any more insulting?_

Belle hastily left the building insulted and furious. She left so quickly that she suddenly found herself standing in front of the library doors. She took her keys and angrily jammed them into the locks to open the doors. When she entered the building she immediately closed the doors behind her. Belle wanted to place as much distance between herself and that miserable woman as possible. Of all people and creatures, only Regina knew how to make skin crawl and her stomach flop. And just when she thought she had been doing so well keeping her nausea at bay. But the thought did make her wonder…

With her cursed Lacey memories still intact, she knew about her menstrual cycle and was aware of the reproductive system. Had she really been that careless or that forgetful? She needed to see the words in front of her face. She walked over to the section of the library labeled, _'Maternity'_ and pulled the first random book she could get her hands on. She propped open the books in her hands and immediately began flipping through the pages.

_28 days… _Her period was definitely a week late.

_Signs and symptoms… _

"Hey," said Rumplestiltskin as he poked his head from around a bookshelf to find her. She was so consumed by the material at hand that she forgot about their lunch date. "What are you reading?"

Realizing he was here, she panicked. Her heart raced as she quickly looked for a place to hide the book. "Nothing. Just some, uh," she said tossing the book blindly back onto a random shelf, "just something that caught my eye."

"Are you ok? You're sweating," he observed.

"Oh, I… just got back from the Sheriff's station. Apparently Dr. Hopper is counseling Elsa now because she came to apologize to me," she said quickly.

"Really?" he asked clearly confused. "At the Sheriff's station?"

"Emma came by the library and told me there was somebody she wanted me to meet. I figured it might have been Gaston or somebody I knew from my past that finally found me. So she escorted me there and along the way I got to post up my flyers for the book club around town. When I arrived I was surprised to see Dr. Hopper and Elsa already there. Apparently Emma and Archie were only there to moderate the apology. I suppose they were expecting you to come flying in with guns-a-blazing or whatever."

"What else happened?"

"Well," Belle began, evacuating quickly from that section of the library, "I accepted her apology. She felt obligated to owe me a favor, but I told her to simply pay it forward. Has she come to apologize to you yet?"

"No… I don't think I shall be expecting an apology from her anytime soon," he said following after her, "Let's just say that I think we've already come to an unspoken understanding of each other. That is, unless, she comes back to either one of us again and becomes uncivil. In which case, I think then we'll exchange some words. However, that is not the case. And since you're fine, we're fine. So I wouldn't worry so much about her anymore. I don't think she'll bother us again."

Belle walked over to the circulation desk to pick up her purse and other belongings. Her heart was still beating against her chest like a trapped hummingbird. Her mind raced with a million questions along with another million concerns and the whirlwind of thoughts was making her dizzy. She couldn't panic on what she didn't know for positive. For all she knew she was jumping to conclusions. She needed to focus on one thing at a time and right now that was lunch.

"Lunch?" she asked shouldering her belongings.

"Lunch."

… …

For the next few nights Belle was restless. As much as she wanted to forget about it she couldn't. At first she wanted to be in denial because being in denial was easy. But thinking whether or not she was pregnant plagued her mind like an incessant cold. She had to know. She wanted to find out on her own first to determine whether her worry was worth the worry. She then decided that only if she was positive would she then bring Rumplestiltskin into the fold about her concern. But how?

How could she discreetly determine if she was pregnant without the whole town finding out? Belle immediately knew through her cursed persona, Lacey, that there were options of finding out. But to go to the town's convenient store to purchase a pregnancy test would arouse suspicion and she knew Clark would probably let slip to his dwarf brethren on what he saw. If Henry's discovery of their marriage had spread to everyone in the community, who knew what kind of wild rumors would start with her wanting to find out. Despite her aversion of hospitals, Belle even thought about the option of going to be tested there. Even if she was_ that_ desperate, the creepy Doctor Whale would most likely be her doctor. He was Mary-Margaret's doctor after all. And that thought grossed her out most of all.

All these paranoid thoughts perpetually looped around in her mind and it was making her nauseous again.

It was three o'clock in the morning and Belle tried with all her might to lie still. With her restlessness, she feared that moving would arouse suspicion from Rumple. Somehow he always knew when she was thinking when they laid in bed together, so for the past few nights she did her best to pretend to sleep and tried desperately to think of absolutely nothing. Her method apparently worked because for the past few new he hadn't questioned what it was that she was thinking. But then, after a few hours or so, somehow the thoughts would creep their way back in.

As much as he knew of her thinking habits, she finally understood his sleeping habits. She knew he was a light sleeper, but after a certain hour there was a particular way he breathed at night that signaled to her when he was officially at rest. She discovered that when he did sleep, however rare it was, his breaths were gentle, deep and rhythmic. The sound of his sleeping was perfect, like a pristine and finely tuned watch; it was divine. She was only able to discover this about him during the past few days of her sleepless nights, so if there was any consolation to what was happening to her, this would be it.

On a typical night his simple breathing would have been sufficient enough to put her asleep, but these past few nights not so much. Belle opened her eyes and looked over at the face clock again over on his side of the bed.

3:43 am

She knew that if she wanted to be somewhat rested for the book club meeting today she would have to at least close her eyes. She looked over at her sleeping husband and became suddenly quite jealous. He slept curled over on his side facing away from her and in about an hour or so he would probably be waking up soon.

Just when she was closing her eyes a wave of nausea hit her. This one wasn't like the previous nausea spells; this one felt productive. She flipped open her eyes and immediately sprang from the bed dashing straight toward the bathroom's toilet…

… …

Rumplestiltskin's eyes fluttered open. He was getting so accustomed to the dream, that by now, he no longer woke with a violent jerk. At this point, the dream became annoying. Each day for the past few weeks the dream left him feeling helpless; helpless, because he didn't know how to interpret it. Every time he felt closer to understanding the meaning, it would evade his grasp and he would become flustered by it. He was getting tired of being flustered. He was getting tired of the dream. He turned over in bed expecting to see Belle only to discover tossed blankets and a void.

He sat up in bed and noticed the bathroom door cracked with the light on inside. Rumple got up from bed and walked towards the bathroom.

"If you're up before me that can never be a good sign," he said as he opened their bathroom door. When he opened the door, he discovered Belle sitting on the floor next the toilet, leaning up against the wall with eyes closed.

"Belle!" he called out to her. His heart jumped to his throat fearing the worst. Belle immediately opened her eyes and was practically face to face with her husband. "What happened? Are you alright?"

"Rumple I'm fine! I'm fine. Just..." she began as he helped her to her feet. Panic riddled his face and her assurances were unconvincing. "I just haven't felt like myself lately."

"Here… let me help…" he said raising his glowing purple hand.

"No," she said lowering his arm, "No magic. Please."

He looked over at the toilet and saw evidence of her illness. "Come, Belle. Let's go see a physician then."

"No. Please no hospitals. You know how I feel about going back there." She walked past him and stood at the bathroom door. He came up behind her and placed a gentle supportive hand on her back.

"Belle, why are you arguing with me? You're ill. If you refuse magic and you don't want to see a doctor, then how can we identify what's wrong to help you get better?"

"This nausea will pass. Nothing is wrong with me," Belle said defiantly, looking up and suddenly noticing the time on the clock.

"Oh!" She exclaimed furiously to herself.

"What is it now?" Rumple asked confused and slightly irritated.

"I'm late for my book club!" she said running immediately to the dresser drawer. She completely lost track of the time.

"You shouldn't be going anywhere," he stated firmly to her as she rummaged for clothes to wear.

"I have worked… so hard… to put this thing together," she said while struggling to put on dress pants, "There's no way I'm backing out now."

"Belle…" Rumple said getting frustrated. Belle ran around him and all about the room grabbing earrings, slipping on shoes and buttoning the last button of her blouse. She ran into the bathroom once more to quickly throw on some makeup and rinse out her mouth with mouthwash. "…I really must insist that you stay."

"I'm taking your car into town, unless you want to come?" she asked completely ignoring his plea.

"No," he replied disappointedly, realizing that there was no convincing of her to stay. She stopped in her tracks and turned to Rumplestiltskin. She could see 'worry' written all over his face. She knew she was running late, but his happiness was more important to her at the moment. She slowed down even more and walked calmly back over to him. She grabbed both of his hands and held them dearly.

"Look, Rumple, I'm fine. Please don't worry," she said planting a soft kiss on his cheek. His eyebrows continued to furrow as she stepped back to look into his eyes, "I love you."

"I love you too," he said giving her a half-smile. She smiled back. And although his feelings on the matter were conflicted, his effort to smile was encouraging. Belle felt it wrong to leave him worried like that.

"Oh! Before I forget, I promised Ruby I'd help her move later today. It'll only be a few hours. I'll give you a call around one for lunch?" she said walking down the stairs. She shuffled over to the coat rack and grabbed her purse that she left hanging there. He followed after her, descending the staircase.

"Sounds good," he said meeting her by the front door.

"Ok, good. I'll talk to you soon," she said giving him one last quick kiss on the lips before running hurriedly out the door and into his car.


	29. Book Club

Belle parked their car on the side street by the library. She was only five minutes late. Belle bolted out of the driver's side and hurried down the street, passing by one of her flyers:

BOOK CLUB!

Share ideas and thoughts about the stories you know

And the stories you don't know.

Come to the meeting and bring a friend.

First Saturday of every month. 9am. Town Library.

Belle pulled out her keys to unlock the door and was disappointed to discover only four people waiting outside the front door: Dr. Hopper, Henry, Mary-Margaret and baby Neal. She had been expecting at least ten people to show up. Nonetheless, she was glad to see some people there. It would have been an embarrassing failure if she had shown up and nobody else did.

"Belle!" greeted Mary-Margaret.

"I'm so sorry everyone. I was running late getting out of the house this morning. Here… let me open the door and we can get started."

Belle opened the door and Dr. Hopper followed after Henry into the Library. Mary-Margaret held back a bit to talk to Belle. Mary-Margaret asked, "Do you mind if Neal sits in with us? David's gone back to work and I'm still on maternity leave."

"No, I don't mind. Come on in," consented Belle.

"He really is a quiet baby," Mary-Margaret justified as she walked through the doors.

"It's quite alright," Belle smiled.

… …

Belle initiated the meeting and each of them took turns reading passages of short stories written from this world. Every once in a while she would catch herself staring at Neal and despite the baby's pleasant and silent demeanor he was actually quite distracting. Babies. Children. It was as if she couldn't escape her own thoughts. Could she? Was she?

"I don't know. Belle, what do you think?" Dr. Hopper asked.

Belle snapped out of her own thoughts and rejoined the discussion that was taking place in front of her. "I… I'm sorry. What do I think about… what?"

"About comparing the stories about us from this world and actually doing them justice by retelling what actually happened in our world."

"I think that's brilliant. I love it," she said simply. She wasn't completely sure what was happening she was too consumed in her own thoughts.

The conversation went around in circles. They continued taking turns reading some more passages out of the book and compared them to the ones they knew personally from their world. At the end of the session they were to go around the library in search for their own story. Next club meeting would be about their discovering this world's interpretation of their own story. After everyone was done checking out their books, she made it a point to connect with each person as they exited the library.

"This was a great meeting. Can't wait to come back next week," said Dr. Hopper as he left the building.

Henry left with Mary-Margaret and Neal and Mary-Margaret chimed in, "That was a great meeting. You know, I'm really surprised that nobody else showed up. I went to the school and gave them the flyers you gave me."

"I appreciate that and thank you for trying, but um… I'm starting to realize that when the stories are involving people's personal lives, most don't want to sit around in a circle discussing and dissecting it. Most people are just not ready for that kind of therapy."

"That… and it's _really _early on a Saturday morning. Most people in this world, and apparently your world, appreciate the weekends too," remarked Henry.

"Oh," replied Belle caught off-guard, "Well, I guess we'll try changing the time of the meeting to the afternoons instead."

"I'll try and convince some classmates to come," said Henry.

"That would be spectacular. Thank you Henry," Belle said gratefully, smiling as she held the door for them.

"See you next Saturday then."

"Next Saturday."

Belle closed the doors behind them and scanned the library. Despite the small number, she would have to claim it a successful meeting. People came, they checked out books, and there was extreme potential for more people to join. Belle looked at the clock on the library wall.

10:04 a.m.

She had mentioned to Ruby that she would help out after the club meeting. So Belle gathered her belongings and walked out the library doors. She turned to lock the building then headed to the car to grab the blankets she had borrowed from some time ago. She arrived at Granny's Bed and Breakfast with blankets in hand and walked up the steps. She opened the door and entered the building's lobby area. Nobody was there to greet her.

"Ruby?" Belle called out into the void.

"I'm up here Belle! Come on up!" shouted Ruby from the second level. Belle ascended the stairway and listened closely for any sounds pertaining to Ruby.

"Where are you?" Belle called out to her.

"Down the hall!"

Belle walked down the hall and entered a room that appeared to have exploded with clothing. "Oh… wow," Belle remarked looking around at the scattered pieces of clothing strewn across the room.

"I know," Ruby admitted, throwing some clothes out of her closet and onto the floor, "but trust me when I say that this is organized chaos. Oh! You brought the blankets back. Thanks. You can set them down on the dresser there."

Belle complied and turned to place the linens on the dresser as requested. "How would you like me to help?" she asked, looking wearily on the floor trying carefully to not step on anything that would be valuable.

"If you see things that young boys would snicker at… put it in that pile there. I'll go through that pile personally and give it a final 'yes' or 'no' later. Clothes that are casual and still wearable and appropriate, put them there," Ruby said directing her to two different piles in the room.

Belle helped her out for the next few hours doing just that. It was amazing to see how much she had accumulated from the curse. After they were done separating clothing, Belle helped Ruby fold clothes neatly into boxes; one for donation, one for personal bedroom and one for incineration. Belle opened another closet within the room they were in and proceeded to toss more items into the center of the room for determination. She came across lingerie, boots, lace, belts… then she came across an unexpected beauty box. Belle opened the box and found her hygiene and cosmetics bag. There were so many different shades of red that it was hard to believe that there were that many names to describe just one color. There were tampons and liners and… pregnancy tests.

"Ruby, uh…?" Belle said holding up an unopened test.

Ruby rolled her eyes and stuttered, "Belle... I… the curse… I did mention that there were things from the curse that I wasn't proud of… right?"

"Oh, no! I mean, I completely understand. There were things that I remember from my cursed self that were absolutely deplorable. And I only had to experience Lacey for like a week!" Belle commiserated, trying to assure Ruby of her understanding.

"Thanks! This is why I needed you here instead of any of the boys to help me."

"No worries. Of all people, I think I can relate to your predicament the most."

Belle waited for Ruby to enter her closet again. When she was out of sight, Belle took the three tests and tossed them into her purse. Her heart began to pound in her chest. She had a means to find out discreetly.

She couldn't wait any longer. She needed to know and she wanted to find out immediately. Belle looked around the room. Seeing that they were pretty much done with the packing and organizing anyways, she didn't feel guilty about letting Ruby know of her departure.

"Hey, Ruby?" Belle called to her friend who was still in the closet.

"Yeah Belle?"

"I… uh… I have a meeting… I have to meet my husband soon," Belle said fumbling nervously with her words. She needed an excuse, frankly any excuse to leave without being rude.

"Oh ok! You go on ahead. We're pretty much done here anyways," Ruby said coming back out of her closet with another small box. "Thank you so much for helping me out. As you can see, it would have taken me a lot longer if I had done this by myself. Now that I can finally see the floor again, I can finish from here."

… …

Belle bolted from the Bed and Breakfast and practically ran back over to the library. She quickly searched for her keys and opened the doors. When she stepped inside she immediately closed the doors behind her and locked them. Was she out of breath? She ran to the library's bathrooms and practically burst through the doors to take the tests.

Her phone was set on a timer and she placed it next to the tests on the hand sink. It was only a few minutes but she stared at the timer feeling like it was taking hours. She thought nervously, frantically. Belle tried really hard to not fret. The tests, as far as she knew, could also prove negative and then she would have been worrying over nothing.

Why was she so nervous? It's not that she thought she would be a bad mother, but if she wanted to be honest with herself she realized, she never wanted to have children. Why was that? It's not like she didn't like children. But she did, however, have very little to poor experience being with them. She reflected on her own childhood and how cruel the other children were to her for not wanting to socialize like they did. And to have a child with The Dark One? What were the repercussions of that?

_No!_ she commanded to herself. She refused to think along those lines and go down that path until she knew for certain. She stared at the timer.

:55 seconds

It was as if the seconds knew of her anxiety and time seemed to slow down as if to tease her. It ebbed at her soul and she waited in silence and on the edge.

Suddenly her phone rang. She jumped in place, startled by the unexpected breach of silence. Someone was calling her. Her husband. She picked up the phone and out of complete nervousness dropped it on the ground. The phone continued ringing as she regained dexterity and picked up the phone again. She flipped it open and answered, "Hello?"

"Belle… how was the book club meeting?" he said over the phone.

"It was good," Belle remarked, turning away from the tests leaning back against the sinks. "Only three people came, though. Um, Archie came… and Mary-Margaret came with Neal and Henry. Even still, despite the number, I would say that it was an overall success."

"Well that's good to hear. Are you feeling any better than you did this morning?" she could hear concern in his voice. She did leave him kind of worried after how he discovered her this morning.

"Better," she lied, her voice practically cracked at the word. She cleared her throat and reiterated, "much better."

"Are you sure?"

Just then the timer she had set on her phone buzzed in her ear. The tests! She spun quickly around and looked down at all three tests, each one with the same symbol, "_Positive_."

* * *

**As you can see, I haven't left any author's notes in the past couple of chapters. I've just been writing, submitting, writing, submitting and writing! But just so Grace5231973, BreathingintheSun and Montreat11 know… I have been reading your reviews. I love how smart you all are. I was excited to read how you all were able to arrive at the conclusion before this chapter. But just you wait… there's more. Take my hand. Let's see how far this rabbit hole really goes. See you next chapter.**


	30. Knowing Magic

Mary-Margaret walked Henry back to Regina's large white house. Henry thanked Mary-Margaret for the escort and proceeded into the house and up the stairs into his bedroom. He opened his book bag and dumped all the library books he borrowed onto his bed. The book club meeting was interesting to say the least. He was more curious, if not, interested in seeing the reactions of everybody reading about themselves. The meeting was not as he had expected. Everyone took turns reading short stories from a book that Belle chose. At the end of each story they discussed the decision-making and ethics of each character. Were they relatable? Were their actions justified? What other options or paths could the protagonist have taken?

For the next club meeting they were to find a few books from within the library and discuss the stories they read. What are the morals? What were the choices? And what would you have done differently?

Henry only checked out a few books; _Bedknob and Broomstick_ by Mary Norton and a book from the Classics section on _The Mighty Hercules_. Seeing that _Bedknob and Broomstick_ was a much lighter and less intimidating read than the Hercules book, he dove straight in and began reading it. He sat on the end of his bed directly across from his bedroom mirror. He flipped through the pages quickly and read how the children in the book were forced by war to move in to live with a witch. He read how the witch, Ms. Price, turned Charles into a rabbit. He saw the words of the spell written directly in the book.

_Filigree Apogee Pedigree Perigee_

Could it really be that simple? He looked up from the pages within his book and looked at the mirror that was directly in front of him. He knew Storybrooke was a place of magic. He wondered. Could he wield magic?

He memorized the spell. He stared at himself in the mirror and chanted out loud, "Filigree Apogee Pedigree Perigee."

His nose began to twitch. _Odd?_ Then suddenly he sprouted whiskers. His ears shot out and became elongated and he found himself engulfed in gold dust. He closed his eyes for a moment and when he opened them he discovered his form a lot smaller than usual. He turned his small body and looked at the mirror only to discover a small white rabbit staring back at him. The same gold dust encompassed him again and he was back in his normal body.

Henry was awestruck. He almost couldn't believe what had just happened, but it did. He performed it. He performed magic on himself. An excitement brewed within him, and he became enamored by the sudden and endless possibilities that lay before him. He marveled over his newfound abilities, smiling as he blurted out, "Woah!"

… …

"Will you be coming home for lunch? I can whip up something light for you," offered Gold. Belle stood in the library's bathroom staring down at the pregnancy tests all confirming her pregnancy. When Belle didn't respond right away, Gold called to her again through the phone, "Belle? You still there?"

"Um, yes. I'm here… that, that would be great. Let me… uh… wrap up here at the library and I'll be home shortly."

She ended the phone call and continued staring unbelievably down at the tests. The gravity of her situation was too much to bear. A baby. Wow. She became frightened, overwhelmed by anxiety, paralyzed and numbed by the news. But why was she so afraid? What would be the price to having a child of magic? What did she know of motherhood? With little experience she had of the time she had with her mother, she realized that what she was afraid of was what she didn't know. So she resolved to finding out more information to ease her anxieties.

Belle disposed of the evidence in the bathroom and locked up the library. She looked both ways before crossing the street and headed toward her husband's Pawn Shop. She pulled out her keys and found the ones to his shop and opened it up. She felt weird entering the shop without his consent, not that it wasn't permissible of her to enter his shop, they were married after all; what was his was now hers and what was hers was now his.

She went behind the curtain to his private workshop. She looked around the room scanning for books; _his_ books. She wanted to understand the Dark One curse and if, by having his child, would have any consequence or affliction to her. It would be the key to understanding her anxiety. If she could understand her fear, she would be empowered by facts and it was something tangible she could work with. She had used his books before. She was able to use his books to figure out the time portal spell Zelena had been concocting, so why not use them again to figure out her own dilemma?

Then another thought sprung into her mind. What if _he_ wasn't ready to have children again? Neal's passing was still fresh in everyone's minds. It was just too soon! Was he even done grieving his first child? The timing of all of this was just not favorable and she suddenly found herself frightened on how to tell the news to him. She just didn't know how.

Belle walked over to the back wall to his private library. She didn't have much time. She knew that he would be expecting her home soon. She scanned quickly over the titles of possible books that would help her in her situation.

_Basics in Magic._

_The History of Dark Curses._

_Wielders of Magic._

She plucked the three thick tomes from his library and stuffed them in the depths of her bag. She adjusted his bookshelf and replaced the missing gaps with books she had from her own library. Belle hoped beyond hope that he wouldn't notice right away. Time was of the essence and she felt the pressing need to tell him, but only when she knew all of the facts.

… …

Belle opened the door to their home and felt absolutely exhausted. She walked down the hallway and heard Rumple call to her, "Belle, I made you lunch for you here in the kitchen."

She rounded the corner and entered the kitchen to see a delightful lunch arrangement. He had made them both sandwiches and tea, and at the center of the dining table stood a bouquet of flowers waiting for her in a vase. "Ginger tea and toast?" he said offering it to her.

"Aww. Thank you," she replied smiling at him, setting her bag full of books on one of the dining chairs. She hadn't really eaten anything and it was a pleasurable sight to see and to come home to. However, she was more exhausted than hungry. "But um, I'm exhausted. I think I shall go rest first."

Rumple couldn't help but notice her recent odd behavior. She was distancing herself from him. She claimed she was fine, but it was the way she said it to him that struck him funny. He cut straight to the point, wanting to know what was keeping her so preoccupied. Belle almost left him for their bedroom when he stopped her, "Is there something you want to tell me?"

Belle, caught off guard by his observation, dodged the question by playing coy, "No, I uh, I've just been preoccupied with what we discussed at club meeting earlier today." It wasn't exactly a lie. She had thought about what transpired at the meeting, but it wasn't what was consuming her thoughts so much and it was evident on her face.

Rumple stared at her, taking in and reading her body language. He could tell that she was holding back information from him. She was hiding something from him. He scoffed out loud to himself.

"What's so funny?" Belle said flummoxed by his reaction.

"I just never thought I'd see the day when you would avoid telling me something or try hiding something from me." She was caught by the master of words and loopholes and stood there frozen and speechless. "Darling, what are you so afraid to tell me?"

"Please forgive me. I just want to be a hundred percent sure of something before I get worked up over nothing."

"Worked up over what? What's wrong? Is everything ok? Are you sick? Please tell me," he begged, getting close to her and reaching out to her.

"No, I mean, yes," she said pushing him away, his questioning was overwhelming and she was already exhausted by the weight of her discovery. She desperately wanted to rest and process all that she had learned from today's events, "Yes, I'm fine. Please, all I ask is that you just give me some time and I promise I'll tell you everything."

"Alright, just," he said holding her hands, "Please know that whatever it is you have to say, I'm here for you when you're ready."

"Thank you, Rumple," she replied with a quick kiss on the cheek and gentle brush of his arm.

She left him with the uneaten lunch still on the table. Suddenly he heard the thudding of books falling to the ground. He turned at the noise and discovered books he recognized; books from his personal library from his shop. They had fallen from her purse that she had left perched on the dining chair.

How did these books get here? What was she doing in his library? What were they doing in her purse? What did she want to learn magic for? Why couldn't she just talk to him about it? Why was she hiding this from him?

All these questions demanded answers. He needed to talk to her. He needed to know. She had never wanted to learn magic and never wanted to use it before, so why now all of a sudden? What's changed?

He hunched over the fallen books and gathered them. He placed them carefully back in her purse and wondered, perplexed over her sudden interest. Some facts were certain: Belle wanted to learn something about magic, she didn't want to learn from him and she didn't want him knowing about her interest in magic. Rumple grew suspicious.

He was suddenly reminded of Cora and how she ended up wanting to kill him in the end. Initially, with his infatuation with Cora, he never thought that by teaching Cora magic she would one day want to kill him, but she eventually did. Would Belle? Belle was hovering dangerously close to repeating history. And in his mind, he made it a point to do something different this time. He was going to put his foot down and say no to her learning magic, fearing that she too would one day use it against him.

* * *

**Alright class, if there are any young readers out there reading my story and you haven't seen or even heard of the movie "Bedknobs and Broomsticks"… you need to run (not walk) to the nearest store or computer, download/buy/rent this movie and watch it! It's a classic Disney film and a favorite of mine. _And_… it's super relevant to my story. So just a heads up… you've got some time to run to the store or whatever because these next couple of chapters are still going to be Rumbelle focused. Ok? Ok. Class dismissed.**


	31. The Price

She had napped for a short while and had come back downstairs to the kitchen to make them something to eat for dinner. She could hear the soft squeaking of his wheel as he spun quietly in the living room. She thought it odd of him to have brought the wheel up from the basement, but figured he probably just wanted to be within earshot of her, concerned for her well-being should she have needed anything.

Rumple purposefully placed his wheel there to keep a careful eye on her. He wanted the opportunity to talk to her about the books he found in her purse. Belle knew that with him being so close to her she wouldn't have the chance to read those books safely there. She would have to go somewhere else. So she pulled out the cookbook that she borrowed from the library instead and began paging through some of the recipes.

Upon hearing the flipping of pages, he promptly left his wheel to check in on her; thinking that she was probably reading one of the books of magic. When he entered the kitchen he was disappointed to see that she was just perusing through the cookbook.

"Hungry?" he asked leaning up against the wall. She jumped at the sudden sight of him.

"You startled me," she claimed, clutching her fast beating heart.

"In your absence, I tried one of the recipes from the book. The leftovers are in the fridge. I can warm them up again and we can have that for dinner, if you like?"

"That sounds wonderful. I'm starving."

… …

They ate their meal in silence. It was as if they weren't going to acknowledge the white elephant in the room. They both waited on the other to initiate a conversation, but no words came out. So they called it an early night and went straight to bed.

They both didn't sleep well that night. Both were much too concerned about the other. She wanted to read those books. She wanted to read them without him prying.

He wanted to keep a close eye on her and make sure she didn't get too deep in magic. He didn't want her to turn out like Cora. In Rumple's mind, Belle was the last good pure thing in the world to him. And as much as he felt that he needed magic, he needed her more and wasn't going to allow magic to drive them apart.

… …

Despite it being Sunday, they both got up fairly early the next morning. They both got up together and went downstairs for breakfast. She went to the kitchen and began picking out items to cook: Oranges, oatmeal and sausage. He went ahead and filled the tea kettle with water and placed it on the stove.

Without saying a word to the other, they divided the cooking tasks. She made the oatmeal and cooked the sausages and he cut up and diced the oranges. When Gold was finished with his task he went for the newspaper and sat down with his already brewed cup of tea.

Belle brought over the oatmeal and sausages and they ate their meal in silence once again. Gold knew she never ate when she was under duress, and he felt relieved to see Belle eat something. He wanted desperately to find out what ailed her so. So he waited until she was finished to talk to her.

However, Belle had other plans and ate her meal quickly so she could leave to go read the books.

"Belle we need to…," he began to say, but in mid-sentence saw Belle abruptly get up to leave, "are you going somewhere?"

"I'm heading back to the library," she said placing her emptied dish into the dishwasher and headed upstairs.

"It's Sunday. The library's closed," Gold pointed out, following her up the stairs to their bedroom.

"I know, but I'm doing research and all the materials I need are there."

She looked for something comfortable and casual to wear today. It was still part of the weekend and she wasn't planning on seeing or impressing anyone today. Just research.

"We need to talk Belle," stated Gold.

"Can we talk when I get back?" she said, slipping on a loose blouse and plain black skirt.

"Do you need help? In this research?" he said trying join in on her activity and to oversee what she was doing.

"No, it's not necessary, but I appreciate you wanting to assist though."

"When shall you be back?" he inquired.

"Probably sometime later in the afternoon. I'll call you when I'm heading home. I have my cell on me. See you soon," she said kissing him on the cheek and leaving. He heard the front door open and close. When he heard the car pull out and drive speedily away he called out pointlessly into the silence, "Good morning."

… …

She arrived at the library with books eagerly in hand. Belle plopped the books down at the first empty table and began reading. After an hour or so she came to the conclusion that the _Basics in Magic_ wasn't going to help her. She scanned thoroughly for anything involving the Dark Curse. She perused through _The History of Dark Curses_ and stumbled upon a curse similar to the one that brought them into Storybrooke, but nothing fruitful had come from studying that book either. The next hour later she opened _Wielders of Magic_ and began reading about the many different sorcerers and enchantresses. She searched for Rumplestiltskin's name and was excited when she came across it.

_Rumplestiltskin_ : _Afflicted by The Dark Curse and has since been known as The Dark One. His reputation for making deals has led many astray, making the saying "All magic comes with a price" a common understanding. Most people who make deals with this sorcerer, find themselves getting what they want without fully understanding the actual cost of the deal. Therefore, proceed with caution because most people who make deals with this sorcerer find themselves losing out in the end. _

_Great_, thought Belle. Three hours of reading and she found nothing on the Dark One curse, only what she already knew; All magic comes with a price. _How old was this curse? _She wondered._ Who in Storybrooke was older than Rumplestiltskin? Would the fairies know? Fairies! The Blue Fairy, Mother Superior. She has to know something!_

Belle slapped his books shut and immediately stuffed them back in her purse. She was going to go the convent. Excited about her new lead she exited the library, locked the doors and headed straight toward the car. Unbeknownst to Belle, her husband lurked from a careful distance, watching his wife drive away in their car…

… …

Belle parked in the church parking lot and exited the car. She wandered up to the convent doors and was about to knock when the doors burst open before her. Church service was letting out and people were exiting the building. She scooted over to the farthest side of the entrance way allowing girth for people to leave. The nuns lined up at the exit shaking hands with all the attendees, wishing them well on another beautiful week. After about fifteen minutes or so she saw Mother Superior exit the building with Friar Tuck.

Like a trout swimming against the current, so was she going against the crowd to get to Mother Superior. "Mother Superior!" shouted Belle to her.

"Belle," Mother Superior said softly and sweetly, "I'm so glad you're here. You just missed service, though."

"I didn't come for the service. I wanted to speak to you."

"To me?" Blue said, surprised by the sudden interaction.

"…privately?" Belle replied looking around at all the townsfolk giving her looks.

"Of course. Come… follow me to my private quarters."

Belle had never been to the convent before and it seemed foreign to her. Lacey knew where the convent was, but only because she needed to know what places to avoid. Belle looked up and marveled at all the gorgeous stained glass windows and the uniquely designed interior as she followed Mother Superior into her private office. When they both entered the room, Mother Superior shut the door behind them and gracefully walked over to sit down behind her desk.

"I suppose congratulations are in order," said the woman with a gentle smile.

"Oh, my marriage… right," Belle said sitting down in one of the vacant chairs across her desk, "thank you."

"No," Blue clarified, "on your expectancy."

"You…wha… how?"

"I sensed another life growing within you. And also," Mother Superior began as she quickly scanned Belle's body up and down, "a lot of magic at work. What ails you child?"

"That's exactly why I'm here. I need to know more about the Dark Curse and whether or not my child will be afflicted by it. I need to know what the cost is of bringing a child into this world burdened with that curse."

"Oh. I see."

"I figured only someone of _really _old magic could point me in the right direction and I can't help but fear the worst!" Belle looked about anxiously in the office and then looked back up at Mother Superior, "If I know more about the thing I fear, I'll feel more empowered and less fearful. So Please… do you know how the Dark Curse came to be?"

"Yes," replied Blue with a heavy sigh, "Unfortunately, I do."

"Once upon a time during the great birthing of religions and magic, I was a different fairy," Blue's face turned down as if regretful. "I was the Dark Fairy obsessed with power and magic. It was so long ago. I can't even remember why I wanted that much power to begin with. What I do remember was my calling. I was destined to be Queen of the Fairies. As the Dark Fairy I wanted that power, to be this great leader, but in order to attain that position I had to rid myself of the Darkness and be as pure as light. I needed a clean and unbiased slate. So, being the Dark Fairy and the rebel that I was, I sought out the assistance of the Elves to help separate me from my dark nature. The Dark One Dagger was originally enchanted by the Elves to destroy this Dark force, but Elves are also known for their love of trickery, especially on humans. So they tricked me, tricked the fairies, and transformed it into a curse alluring mortal men for centuries of its omnipotence; allowing anyone who possessed the Dagger, to have ultimate control over the Dark Curse, but also fall prey to others who sought out to become the Dark One themselves. That is, if you kill the previous Dark One using the dagger. It gave the Elves a sick pleasure seeing men rise and fall to its power."

"Back in our land… Neal and I resurrected Rumplestiltskin at the Dark One vault. How did the first Dark One come to be?"

"The original Dark One was once human, led to that same place by the Elves. That is how the Dark One Curse was created and was transferred to man."

Belle's next question sounded ludicrous in her head, but she had to get it out, "Were there any children who had fallen prey to this curse? What were the repercussions?"

"In all my history of knowing and living through its creation and enduring the cost of such a curse, no child was ever The Dark One, thank goodness. And up until now, no child had ever been born of the Dark One. I believe the only reason for that was that typically the people who were cursed were so often consumed by their own power that they feared anyone who got close. The Dark Ones always fear those that would kill them for that power."

Mother Superior hesitated on her next words. She wanted so much of what she said next to be untrue.

"Belle, I don't know how else to explain this to you… The Dark One's power is transferrable. It's in its genesis. Your progeny would inherit the magic that comes with the curse, without a doubt."

"What are you saying? What does that mean?"

"Like the cost it took to resurrect your Rumplestiltskin, it would take a life to perpetuate that Dark Magic. More specifically, the magic from the curse is taken from the life of the heart, so death of the heart is certain and one cannot live without a heart."

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**Did you like my twist with the Blue Fairy? I know I did. I often times wondered what her back story was and so... this was the best I could come up with to fit my needs. I hope it worked and made sense on your end.  
**

**I suppose this story is catching fire because I've had quite a few story followers in these past few days. And all I can say is… Thank you! You (Yes You!) validate me. I know this sounds pathetic, but I practically live off of every review that I get. I know it sounds pathetic, but I don't care. I have no shame.**

**So if you like, or don't like what you read… I want to hear it! Please? I won't bite. I promise.**

**I also want to send out digital kisses and hugs to those who have been awesome and left reviews and shown me unbelievable support: Montreat11, Grace5231973, BreathingintheSun and OUATgirl17**

**Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you! oxoxoxox  
**

**Ok, on that note... after reading your messages/reviews from last chapter in regards to Bedknobs and Broomsticks, and hearing your plight… and because I love you all… here's a free homework pass…**

**Bedknobs and Broomsticks (referenced: IMDB - Copied&Paste): During WWII in England, Charlie, Carrie, and Paul Rawlins are sent to live with Eglantine Price, an apprentice witch. Charlie blackmails Miss Price that if he is to keep her practices a secret, she must give him something, so she takes a bedknob from her late father's bed and places the "famous magic traveling spell" (_Hellebore henbane aconite glowworm fire and firefly light)_ on it, and only Paul can activate it. Their first journey is to a street in London where they meet Emelius Browne, headmaster of Miss Price's witchcraft training correspondence school. Miss Price tells him of a plan to find the magic words for a spell known as Substitutiary Locomotion (_Treguna Mekoides Tracorum Satis Dee_), which brings inanimate objects to life. This spell will be her work for the war effort.**

**There are two other spells that Ms. Price uses… one to enchant her broomstick to make it fly (Lackipo _nikrif scrumpet leech_), and her other handy transfiguration spell that she uses quite often in the film (_Filigree apogee pedigree perigee_).**


	32. A Vision Reassessed

Belle's death was certain. When she delivers the child, Belle will die because it takes a life to transfer that dark magic her child inherited from its' father. Belle's mind completely shut down and didn't even remember saying 'goodbye' or 'thank you' to Mother Superior as she exited the building. She walked as if in a dream, numb to the world, back to the car. She couldn't even bring herself to tears she was so overwhelmed with shock. She was lost in thought. She felt alone and she was scared. All this information was too much. Belle didn't even remember turning on the car, or getting into the car for that matter, and somehow found herself back at their house.

She had intuitively parked their car in the driveway and stomped heavy-footed into the house. With each step she took, she was reminded of her own mortality. Nothing felt real. She was exhausted. Done. Belle walked through the front door of their house and dropped her purse to the floor. It was taking every effort for her to not collapse on the floor like her purse.

"Belle," Rumple said with a serious look on his face, "we need to talk."

"Rumple… I… can't. Not right now."

"No!" he said sticking his foot down and raising his voice, "You've been avoiding me. We need to talk about this now!"

"Talk about what?" she gave up fighting him, fatigued and on the precipice of tears. He strode over to her bag and took out his three books.

"Why are you learning magic? And why are you hiding this from me?" he said accusatively, raising his voice.

"Rumple..." Belle said breaking before him, her eyes were watering. He was furious and she could see that. Rumple was at a point in his fury where nothing she said mattered, because his frustration with her had consumed him entirely.

"And why were you at the convent today talking with Mother Superior?!" he said pointing an angry accusatory finger at her.

"…you… you were following me?" Belle said bewildered, "You _still_ don't trust me?!"

"You have to give trust to get it _dearie_, and you studying magic from _my_ books without _my _knowledge on the matter is _not_ a great way to establish that trust with me."

"You should know by now that I don't want to learn magic!"

"Well all evidence is pointing to the contrary my dear. Anyone who learns dark magic never has good intentions!"

All of sudden it finally became clear to Belle as to why he was so upset. How it must have appeared from his perspective with her abrupt absences, leaving him to study the dark curse on her own using his books on dark magic. He was comparing her to Cora. Belle knew about her. When Regina came into the diner that one day, warning them about Cora, it prompted further questioning on who exactly this woman was. Rumple had mentioned briefly his relationship with her and their involvement with magic. How she had left him for power. And how in the end… it was Cora who had come back to threaten his life using magic. The mere comparison to Cora was repulsive, and Belle was at her wit's end.

"No! Anyone who learns dark magic is a threat to you… and _I am not Cora_!" she shouted back at him, leaving him silent. He was flummoxed, unsure as to what to say next. He didn't even know what to think.

"I can't handle this!" she exclaimed exhaustively, "I'm done arguing. I can't even be with you right now."

Belle was barely to the staircase when Rumplestiltskin had confronted her. She immediately turned back around, grabbed her purse, and left the house slamming the door on her way out.

… …

Belle didn't return to the house all evening, so Rumple concluded that she must have taken temporary residence at the apartment above the library. He knew it was her little sanctuary and space so he went to bed that night alone. He felt odd sleeping without her. Rumple sorely felt the absence of his wife and he missed her. He couldn't sleep. He tossed and turned until finally he gave up and began staring at the ceiling, thinking.

Rumple thought back on the past few weeks, back to when his dreams about the Lily first started. He thought about all that had transpired between him and her. He thought more so on what was different; what was odd. There had to be a correlation, a connection; every detail mattered.

_The orange juice in the fridge is practically gone every morning… her bouts of fatigue… her nausea… mood swings… her adjustments to her wardrobe… the book at the library when we met for lunch the other day… she had set it down too quickly… why? What section of the library was she at? Health… Women's Health… Maternity…_

"A bab…" he mouthed silently to himself. Suddenly, it all became clear. The dreams he had been having weren't dreams, but a result of his power to see into the future. _What did everything mean then?_ He wondered.

Perhaps the growth of the Lily growing from the mucky dark dwellings of the pond represented the darkness and chaos from his life. But from it, fighting through all the adversity, like their love, the stem reaches out to find sunlight… Belle. Belle had always represented the light in his life. And the blossoming flower? Something beautiful and feminine growing from the product of two opposite forces… perhaps that represented a new life as a result of their relationship; a child. And the feminine quality the flower symbolized… the sex of their child. They were having a girl.

The good news Belle wanted to tell him. This was it! A smile broke out over his face. "I'm going to be a father," he said out loud to himself, beaming with pride. He remembered hearing the news of his parenthood for the first time through the Seer. The joy he felt then was the same joy he was experiencing now. He thought of Bae.

All he ever wanted for Baelfire was to be happy, but he knew long ago that Baelfire wasn't going to be happy with him. Baelfire knew of his regret for letting him go through that portal alone and that Baelfire had eventually forgiven him. Baelfire loved him and Baelfire knew of his father's love for him. Bae knew that he was loved by all. Bae had even found love and at some point in his life, happiness. Baelfire lived, forgave, loved, was loved and had found happiness. Isn't that what every parent wished for of their children?

Will he continue loving and missing Baelfire? Yes. Now that Zelena is gone, he took this moment to reflect on what Baelfire had given him; this moment of peace within himself. Things had come full circle. Everything he did, everything he had done up to this point was worth it. If he were asked to do it all over again, he would do it in a heartbeat and change nothing.

He was going to be a parent again. Belle was carrying their child. _If she knew, then why was she so sad, or scared even? Wouldn't this be joyous news to her as well? _ He thought about the books she brought home from his personal library; the books on dark magic. Rumple thought back to his Lily dream…

"_Now I have to pay the price…"_

_The price of… what? _He thought._ Magic?_ He thought of the books on dark magic she had in her purse. Perhaps it was the price of dark magic; _his_ dark magic. Perhaps that's what she was afraid of, because she rarely ever accepted or used magic. But in the dream she looked sad. His hand was over her heart; her life in his hands. In the dream she disappears and her heart becomes replaced by their flower, their child, which he cradles in his hands. By gaining a daughter, was he also going to lose his wife to dark magic?

Dread succumbed Rumplestiltskin. He finally understood what Belle was going through realizing that she was probably scared out of her mind. Rumple handled the situation all wrong. He should have known, the signs were all there! He felt ashamed of himself for treating her the way that he did, like the beast he can sometimes still be. Of course he knew that she never wanted to learn magic. She wanted to learn of the price of bearing the child of the dark one. It all made sense and it even explained the books that were in her purse.

She wasn't avoiding him, she was afraid to tell him. What a burden, to tell your loved one the good and bad news of your revelation. How could she be happy when she knew the price meant her life? Perhaps she knew all of this and perhaps… this was why she was sad. She was scared and he pushed her away.

His reaction toward her was a travesty and he knew he needed to rectify the situation. He was determined to lessen her burden of knowledge by sharing his revelations with her and his understanding of their situation. He knew that they were much stronger when they were together and that together they would find a way. No one was dying, not yet. There was still time to react. He believed they would get through this. He believed in their love.

He closed his eyes finally but he didn't sleep. He felt, within his heart, emotional conflict. He was filled with both joy and sorrow. She was afraid of what she didn't know and the sudden news of her insight was startling. But he wasn't afraid. Unlike her he had, in a way, always known. The dreams were telling him so all along, and it was not too late to save her.

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**Sorry if the previous chapter was a bit confusing. Hopefully this chapter helped clarified some of the misunderstandings from before. Montreat11, BreathingintheSun, OUATgirl17 and Grace5231973 Bless you for your comments. It's not that I'm second guessing my writing, but your reviews certainly keep me on my toes. Thank you all! See you next chapter.**


	33. Heart of the Matter

Belle finally slept after days of not sleeping. She had slept in. It was Monday morning and she knew of her obligations to open the library doors, but she also needed this day and decided to call in sick. She needed time to think and time to…

She heard a knock at her apartment door. She left her bed and went to the door.

"Belle, sweetheart, it's me," Rumple called through the door. As much as she wanted to be disgusted by his actions from yesterday, she really needed him and he came in her hour of need. "Darling, I am really sorry."

Belle wasn't fully dressed and she didn't care. She went to bed wearing one of his extra dress shirts she had kept in the closet of the apartment. Besides the underwear she was still wearing, she was exposed from the waist down. It wasn't like he hadn't seen her naked before, so it was of no shame or surprise to him when she opened the door and he saw her slightly exposed.

She opened the door wider granting him passage into the tiny apartment unit. The door opened immediately into the kitchen and dining table, with the bedroom being the one additional room which had a bathroom inside.

When she opened the door, he didn't care about how she dressed or the tiny apartment. He immediately came forward and hugged her where she stood. He continued apologizing, "I am so so sorry for my ghastly behavior yesterday. I was wrong. It took me a while to understand everything, but I know what it is that you're going through."

"You do?" she said with tears in her eyes. He took a step back from her and with love in his eyes he smiled and said, "We're pregnant, aren't we?"

Belle began crying at the sound of those words coming from his mouth, "You know?"

He beamed back at her, "I think I've known about her for some time."

"_Her?_" she gasped clutching her mouth. Her heart was swelling, "A girl? All this time… and you didn't tell me?"

"Oh… yeah," he chuckled to himself, forgetting that she wasn't the one that had been having these nightly visions for the past month. And so he told her. "Well, it's a leap. You see, I've been having this same dream every night since Elsa's return. It wasn't until recently that I realized that they weren't dreams, but an insight into the future; our future. But you see, seeing into the future isn't an easy gift. I confess… having it can be a torment. Because sometimes, knowing too much of something can be a bad thing. Some people have a difficult time accepting truths and knowing those truths can be a burden.

"When I have these visions, they're these jumbled fragments of imagery, like puzzle pieces; all pertinent, meaningful and symbolic. And each piece, each vision can be misinterpreted. So it's always difficult to read the future and see the big picture, because the price is that the future is never what you think. So, I didn't mention it before because… well, because it's not reliable.

"In this vision I have… I'm in the murky dwellings of a pond. I see a plant sprouting from the dark depths and I see it reach for sunlight… it breaches the water's surface and blossoms into a beautiful Lily flower. And while it continues to bask in the warm glow of sunlight, I see you sitting next to it on the edge of the pond, smiling… telling me that you know something; that you have good news to tell me. And then you take my hand…" Rumple said, taking her hand and placing it over her heart. "…and place it over your heart, telling me that there's a price you pay. And then you disappear, leaving me with nothing but this beautiful lily flower."

"And you understood everything that was happening, just from that dream?"

"Not at first, but you've left me clues. Clues that I hadn't picked up on or understood until recently."

Belle turned from him to find the nearest chair. She needed to sit down and take in all of this. She was happy that he knew. Seeing his joy over the prospects of them being parents was comforting. But she was still crying. She was shocked. Rumple saw her reaction and took her silence as a sign that she was overwhelmed. "I'll stop. These visions can be overwhelming. I was overwhelmed when I first came to these conclusions. It can be a bit much."

"No! I mean, don't stop. I was just so afraid of telling you right away because… I feared your reaction. I was afraid it would stir up negative memories and feelings of your son." She took a few moments to breathe as she grabbed a napkin from the table to wipe her tears. "Rumple," she continued, "it hasn't even been a year since we buried Baelfire. And with all of this happening so suddenly, we barely had enough time to talk about Bae's passing and truly grieve his death. I didn't want to do that to his memory because I know how much he meant to you, to all of us."

Belle sniffled and wiped some more tears with the back of her hand. She continued, "I was also afraid because… I feared for my own life. I needed to know about your curse. That's why I borrowed your books. I needed to know if there was a price to continuing that magic with our child. But none of the books spoke of where your curse had come from. They had just simply stated that you were cursed. Rumple… that's why you saw me talk to the Blue Fairy. Fairies are as old as magic and she was there when your curse was originally created. So when I asked her about it I had found out that it's in the nature of the curse to transfer power… that our child will have that curse… and that the cost of seeking that power always led to the death of the heart… Rumple," she began to ask through choked tears, "am… _am I going to die_?!"

"No!" he said kneeling down by her side and hugging her waist as she sat in the chair. "No, no, no… I will not let that happen," he said kissing her body, doing his best to soothe her. "We have time. We're going to figure this out like we always do… together. We are going to have this child and you are going to live. I will do everything in my power to move heaven and earth to make it so."

After a while of holding each other and crying, Belle sat up in her chair. "I'm… calling in sick today from work. I'm going to go lie back down. Will you stay with me?"

"Sweetheart, I will stay with you forever."

Rumple lifted her up from her chair and carried her to the bedroom. He laid her gently down on the bed and tucked her in. He made himself comfortable by taking off his dress shoes, belt and jacket and joined her under the covers. He held her close as they laid in bed together; her head nestled against his shoulder and their arms wrapped lovingly around each other.

They closed their eyes, and for a couple of hours they rested together. After a while, he felt Belle's body move and noticed her eyelids flutter open. She was awake and thinking. He figured it safe to say something, given that they both had a few hours to think. "Belle?"

"Mmm?"

"I'm no longer grieving Baelfire. I miss him, don't get me wrong, and I'll never stop loving him. I just… had always regretted… letting him go through that portal and it tortured me, everyday… not being able to tell him how much I loved him. But… in the end… he forgave me. He loved me. He knew I loved him. He was loved. He had found love and I believe he had even found happiness. So this burden of regret… that I had been carrying around for centuries… I don't feel it anymore because I know now… that he had lived."

Belle meditated on the memory of Neal. She reflected on when she and Neal were back in their world; during that missing year. How kind he was to her during their travels together and how they became friends in their search for Rumplestiltskin. He was a hero, a gentleman, friend, father and beloved son. And Belle felt honored to have even had the privilege of knowing him as she did.

"He'll always be in our hearts…" _Hearts_, Belle reiterated in her mind. Something clicked and Belle suddenly realized that her problem was also her solution. "Hearts!" Belle cried out excitedly, remembering what it was as she sat up in bed. "Rumple… the Blue Fairy… she said that the cost of transferring the Dark Curse's power to our child was the death of a heart… my heart."

Rumple sat up in bed with her looking perplexed. Why would she seem excited over news so devastating?

Belle continued, "When we were all brought back to Storybrooke for the second time we all thought that Regina had cast the curse… but it wasn't her, it was Snow White!"

"_Snow White_? Well, I suppose she must have used David's heart… but that's impossible, he's still alive."

Belle shook her head seeing the same reaction from him as she had when she found out from Mary-Margaret. "That's what I thought too. Regina was there, but it was Snow who sacrificed David's heart for the curse… After the curse was cast, Snow pleaded Regina to split her heart, insisting that their love was strong enough for the both of them to use. Regina was the one who was able to take Snow's heart and split it in two. Rumple...," Belle said placing her hands in his, "_our_ love is that strong! We could share a half of each other's hearts! With your immortal heart sharing mine, the magic will be redirected from yours and dissolve my half of the heart. Our child can be born and I can still live with your half of the heart. All we need to do is ask Regina…"

"Belle…" said Rumple hesitantly. He wanted to be as excited as she was.

"What's wrong? Do you not think our hearts can handle it?"

"No! No, I believe in the strength of our love… there's just one problem."

"And what's that?"

"You see… ever since I taught Cora how to take a heart I have since then enchanted mine. It's heavily fortified."

"What are you saying?"

"I'm saying… that in order to lift the barriers to even access my heart I have to… unburden it."

"So… what would you have to do?"

"I have to free my heart of whatever weighs it down. I have to make it vulnerable," he said looking down, rubbing his hands tentatively. "Confession…" he continued explaining, looking back up at her, "is a way to unburden a heart. I would have to confess things… and that should sever some of the protection spells I used to shield it."

"_Some?_ What else would you have to do?"

Rumple shook his head, realizing his own entrapment. "There's a catch to breaking down all these barriers…"

"Wow… you really didn't want anybody near your heart."

"I'm _really_ am good at what it is that I do. You see… After Cora, I never intended on ever letting anyone that close to my heart again. I never anticipated on falling in love again, so I added these protection spells thinking I'd never need to break them." He heaved a heavy sigh and continued, "the catch to breaking down all the barriers would be to confess in front of those who were afflicted. And Belle… there's a lot that I've done… and you're not going to like what you hear."

"Look… I need you. I need you like a fish needs water. I know that there are a lot of things from your past that are difficult to swallow, but I can take it… because that's not who you are anymore. This man," Belle said looking into his eyes, cupping his face with her hands. She recognized the sacrifice he was making for her, "This man right here… is who I fell in love with."

Their faces moved closer to each other and they began kissing passionately. They fell into the bed and continued kissing. They had found a way to save Belle. And now that they had found a way, they could finally rejoice over their expectancy.

"Rumple…" Belle said when their lips finally parted, "…we're going to have a baby."

She couldn't believe what she was saying, but hearing the words come out her mouth filled her heart with excitement. He smiled back at her and echoed her joyful words, "We're going to have baby."

"I love you!" Belle cried as she hugged him tightly. Rumple hugged her back with his head on top of hers.

"My beautiful Belle…I love you so very, very much."

They stayed in the tiny apartment together for the majority of day, feeling no pressure from the outside world to be anywhere. When they were hungry, they left for home and ate there; enjoying each others' company. So much of their past had been forfeited to sadness. They owed it to themselves at least one day of happiness. They needed a day for themselves, to be themselves, to love each other. They needed to revel in their feelings for one another and to remember that this was a joyous occasion and not a sorrowful one. They both needed this day because they both needed good memories. And what better way to establish this foundation of good memories than with the expectancy of their child.

Despite their abnormal circumstance, they agreed to take this day and spend it on doing normal things because they knew that tomorrow would be a different day. Tomorrow… they would have to brave the changes they would have to make for each other and face their challenges head-on. But that was tomorrow… and it could wait. Today… they were going to be happy.

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**Phew! These Writing Sprints have me exhausted. And I'm nervous about these chapters because I feel like I'm missing stuff. I really hope they make sense to you. I'm moving and typing so fast that I think my eyes are beginning to cross. See? I'm sensing that the quality of my storytelling is suffering. Bleh.**

**As I leave you with this somewhat happy chapter, I just wanted to let you all know that I'm going to be taking a much needed break from posting so frequently. I'm still going to be working and writing on this story, but I'm going to be slowing down a bit. I've got ideas in my head on where I want to go with the story, a story plan already laid out to reference my writing to, the actual story I've written so far, and a separate page where I edit my chapters ready for publishing. I'm pooped.**

**I did also want to let you all know that part of the reason for my sudden absences will be because of my trip preparation. I will be going on vacation as of Sept.17th. I will be leaving the country and will be returning to the States Sept.28th. Just in time for OUAT S4 Premiere! And even if I brought my laptop with me (which I won't), I'm not entirely sure of the wifi service, or if there'll actually be internet available where I'm heading. The reason why I'm telling you guys this is because you all have been too good to me and I didn't want you guys to worry when I've suddenly dropped out from the FF radar for 10 days. I will think of you guys on my trip. And please don't lose hope in my story! I will be coming back. I am going to finish this darn thing, and it's going to be AWESOME. Or... at least I think it will be awesome.  
**


	34. A Cog

Henry couldn't focus at all during school that Tuesday. He wanted to go practice magic. He wanted to learn how to enact the Traveling Spell from his book. Paul, the small boy from the book, used a bed-knob to travel. Henry didn't want to lug around a bed or a bed-knob. He needed something small that he could carry around with him, yes… but something that he could twist. That's what the spell required. Henry figured that perhaps there was something in his grandfather's pawnshop that could give him ideas. Henry figured, that he did mention to his grandfather that he would come by to visit him. Why not today? So when the school bell rang, he bolted right out of the classroom beating the entire student body out of the building. He ran as much and as far as he could until he was out of breath.

He walked the rest of the way until he reached downtown Main Street. He passed the library and continued further down the street stopping in front of his grandfather's shop. He looked up at the foreboding sign, "Mr. Gold's Pawn Shop" and gawked at it. Henry took in a nervous breath, readjusted the strap to his book bag and entered the shop.

The bell to his shop gave a little jingle, signaling Henry's presence. Henry walked in to discover Mr. Gold standing behind his register tinkering with a pocket-watch. Mr. Gold looked up to his grandson with gleeful surprise, "Henry!"

"Hi Mr. Go… Grandpa," Henry said smiling awkwardly. It still felt a bit strange calling him that.

"How are you? How are things?" Gold asked, ignoring Henry's awkward greeting.

"Good… things are good. School is boring though," Henry said. From where Henry stood he looked around at the menagerie of items in his shop. He looked back at his grandfather, "Can I… uh… look around your shop?"

"By all means, have a look around," Gold said coming around from the register to meet Henry face-to-face. "Anything in mind that you're looking for?"

"I'll know it when I see it," replied Henry cryptically, as he peered through the glass containers holding random objects. Henry felt awkward in the silence he was sharing with his grandfather so he decided to make conversation. "So… when you first started learning magic… was it difficult for you?"

"Well… I didn't learn magic. Magic became part of me when I became the Dark One," said Gold as he got closer to Henry, resting his hand on the glass case Henry was looking at. Henry moved on and walked over to the other side of the shop, looking up at all the items that were sitting on the shelves against the wall.

"How old was the youngest student you've ever taught magic to?" Henry asked curiously. Gold looked at Henry curiously, but then played along with his questions by responding, "Well you see, youth and age are relative. It all really depends on the creature. Are we talking… human? Elf? Gnome? Dwarf?"

Henry grinned at Gold's reply, "Human."

Gold nodded, looking down as he reflected. "Fourteen… Your father actually… He was my first student. I taught him basics and fundamentals, but he was much too young. He made for a poor student because he never wanted any part of it."

"And what, would you say, qualifies a person to be magical?" he asked as he looked at some of the objects that were dangling from the center ceiling. He saw a bike hanging there, which would have made an excellent candidate for his traveling spell, but it was still too large.

"I would say that anyone with the belief and desire for magic would qualify as someone being magical, unless of course, you were born with it."

_To be born with magic_, Gold reiterated in his head. Emma was born with magic and she is the product of True Love. Wouldn't their child also be the product of True Love? When he and Belle kissed for the first time, almost breaking his curse, it initially broke from their True Love's kiss. Wasn't that evidence enough of their True Love for each other? There was no way of knowing for certain until their daughter was born and Gold wasn't going to wait idly by for the next eight months to find out. When it came down to the safety of his family, he wasn't going to leave anything to chance. He had told Belle that he would do everything in his power to make sure she wasn't going to die from this. So he decided right then and there, that even if their child was the product of True Love, he would still sacrifice his life for her, for them; even if that meant sacrificing his own heart.

Gold stood there thinking as Henry hovered over at his jewelry counter, staring at necklaces, bracelets and rings. "What are you working on?" Henry asked, noticing tools, spare gears and other tiny screws.

"I'm fixing a pocket-watch."

"By hand?"

"Yes, Henry. Not everything I do involves magic."

"How much is it worth?" Henry asked. The watch was perfect! He had access to the hands on the face; something he could twist. The watch was small enough to carry around and not too bulky for it to be conspicuous.

"A cog."

"A cog?"

"It's worthless now until I can find that missing piece for it to work properly. Only," Gold said looking around his shop and patting the pockets of his vest, "I seem to have misplaced it."

"Cogsworth," Henry chuckled to himself as he stared at the pocket-watch.

"What's so funny?" Gold asked, confused by Henry's reaction.

"Nothing, I was just reminded of a movie," Henry grinned amusingly to himself. Henry knew that Mr. Gold could simply conjure another spare part for the watch, and was just flattered to see that even a powerful sorcerer like him would consign himself to doing menial tasks such as fixing a watch. Gold was humanizing himself in front of his grandson and was doing his best to appear less intimidating and more welcoming. "Can I have it?" Henry asked, looking up from the watch.

"I tell you what… come by my shop again sometime after school. You can help me categorize everything in the shop. Along the way, if you happen to find the missing piece to this watch, it's yours. That way, you can work off your wages for it _and_ help me organize the shop in the process."

"Deal!" said Henry shaking Mr. Gold's hand. Henry turned to exit his shop when his grandfather shouted after him, "Henry, wait."

"Yeah?"

"I need to ask you a favor."

"Me?"

"Belle and I have an appointment shortly to meet with your mother, Regina. There's an urgent matter of grave importance we need to discuss with her," said Gold as he went around a counter to reach for his suit jacket, "Belle and I would really appreciate your presence there when we discuss the matter and I would really like to keep the news within the family."

"Sure," nodded Henry seriously, "No problem, Grandpa."

"I'm going to go pick up Belle at the library and then we can all drive together to your mom's work."

"Ok."

… …

Henry walked ahead of Gold and Belle as they went up to Regina's office. They approached the Mayor's closed office door and Henry gave a knock.

"Come in," Regina called from within her office. Henry entered the room first followed by Belle and Gold. Regina stood up, alarmed at the sight of her son with Rumplestiltskin. "Henry, what are you doing here? You're supposed to be home right now."

"Hi Mom." Henry walked around, grabbing one of the many spare chairs in her office and pulled it up beside Regina's office chair behind her desk.

"I asked him to be here. For this meeting," Gold said, intervening on Henry's behalf.

"Yes and why are we meeting?" Regina demanded. Henry walked over to his mother and greeted her with a hug. Before Henry sat down in his chair Henry answered, "Supposedly there's news that they want to share with us and want it just between us."

"Is that so?" Regina said looking over at the couple who were taking their seats in front of her. Everyone was sitting down around her so Regina took her cue and sat down as well.

"We're pregnant," stated Belle, getting straight to the point.

"Wow! Another aunt or uncle! Cool!" exclaimed Henry excitedly. Unlike Henry's reaction, Regina replied more sarcastically, "Well you guys certainly didn't waste any time now, did you?"

"Jealous? Are things not going well between you and Robin?" Gold teased offensively.

"Rumple…" Belle hushed, placing a gentle hand on her husband's leg.

"Robin and I are civil. And no, I'm not jealous because I'm perfectly happy with the child I have already," said Regina as she placed a loving hand on Henry's shoulders. "Why are you telling us this?"

Rumple sat there awkwardly, unsure how to begin. He looked over at Belle, and she took it as her cue to explain. "When our child is born, she'll be cursed with Dark Magic and the price of that magic is the death of a heart… my heart."

Belle looked hesitantly back at her husband and then back at Regina and continued explaining, "When Snow sacrificed David's heart to go back to Storybrooke the second time, is it true that you took Snow White's heart and split it between them?"

"Yes…?" said Regina, unsure where Belle was going with this knowledge.

"Could you do the same for both of our hearts? Split both of our hearts in two?" asked Belle.

"And then do _what_ with them exactly?"

"I'll perform the spell that will sew the two different halves together," interjected Gold. "You needn't worry about that."

"What do I look like, a cardiologist? Whale is the doctor, not me, that's his area of expertise."

"Well, this calls for a magical touch. This… splitting of the hearts is new to me… and I am partly curious to see how you did it the first time," commented Gold.

"Please," Belle begged kindly, "if this works, when our child is born only my half of the heart will be sacrificed. I'm not magical and so it's only fitting that only half the magic will be passed on to our child. With Rumple's enchanted half-heart still beating in me, I'll surely survive."

"I don't know… I wasn't sure it was going to work with Snow White's heart, and that was only _one heart_! What you're asking of me is a lot," Regina replied.

"That's why we asked Henry to partake in witnessing the operation," Gold pointed out. "Not only is he my grandson and part of my family, he's also your son. And since you're supposedly using _good_ magic now, Henry will help make sure you continue on that path, should you decide to do this."

"There's… one other thing…" Belle added.

"There's _more?!_" Regina said unbelievably. "Are you guys expecting twins?"

"No… uh," Belle looked expectantly over at her husband to which Gold explained, "Ever since your mother, Cora, I've placed many enchantments on my heart to prevent anyone from gaining access to it."

"So how do you intend on lifting these enchantments?" Regina said looking at Gold.

Gold looked down at the floor, not believing that this moment was happening… admission. "I have to confess… sins from my past…"

"Should I get a priest?" Regina poked sarcastically.

"Mom…" Henry said looking at his mother seriously, "Hear him out. This can't be easy."

"Thank you Henry," said Gold grateful for Henry's understanding, "I have to unburden the things that tether my heart to the magic I've placed on it, but to completely lift the barriers I have to confess in front of people I've afflicted."

Regina took a few moments to think about the favor she was being asked to do. She looked over at Henry and felt that despite her past with Rumplestiltskin, she owed it to her son to show that she now possessed light magic.

"Ok," Regina said more genuinely and seriously. "I'll do this for you both," she looked back over at her son, "…and for Henry. Goodness knows I've done my fair share of horrific things, but it'll be much more interesting to hear yours. When and where would you like to do this?"

Belle answered, "Tomorrow evening, our house. That should be enough time to prepare and get our affairs in order."

"I must warn everyone here," Gold added, "that the things I will say will offend you. In order for the enchantments to truly break I must be honest with everyone. Harsh truths will come out."

"Do what you need to do, Gold, and prepare yourselves. Henry and I will come over to your place in the evening."

"Thank you," said Belle gratefully to Regina and Henry. Belle stood up and reached for her husband's hand. Gold stood up as well, taking her hand and they both silently left Regina's office together.

When the office door finally closed behind them Henry remarked out loud, "Huh… I am going to be older than my uncle and newborn aunt. I suppose there aren't too many people that can say that."

"Honey, how can you possibly know that from that conversation?"

"_When our child is born, __she'll__ be cursed_," Henry quoted, "It's what Belle said when she was explaining their problem."

"Huh… I suppose she did. How observant?" Regina commented staring at her office door. She thought about the startling revelations she would hear tomorrow evening. She wondered about Rumplestiltskin's past and was even more curious about how those revelations would affect her. Before she could ponder any further on the matter, she snapped back to reality and turned to her son, "Come, let's go home. I have a lot to think about and read from my spell books. There's a lot of pressure riding on me too and I want to make sure I do this well."

* * *

**Hi guys! Hello fanfiction! Oh how I've missed you all.**

**My vacation was awesome. Got my cell phone stolen, so that sucked, but overall had a really good time! Had my little composition notebook with me the entire time, so while my friends were checking out their phones, I was working on this story. I meant to post on the 28th, but I was traveling. I had intended to post yesterday, but I got jet-lagged and spent the time unpacking and unwinding. It gave me the opportunity to finally see the premiere! I totally swooned at the Rumbelle dance, didn't you? lol.**

**Did you guys like my introduction of Cogsworth? Lol. Let me know what you guys think. I look forward to hearing from you all again to catch up. Forewarned: Tomorrow's chapter… There's no dicing it… it's a doozy. It's really long. So prepare yourselves for that big mamma jamma coming your way.**

**Again, I missed you guys. Talk to you soon. See you next chapter. :)**


	35. The Story of Rumplestiltskin

The following day came and Rumplestiltskin dreaded the hour of Regina and Henry's arrival. Gold and Belle stayed home from work for obvious reasons, but throughout the day it seemed as though he was distancing himself from her. With the horrific thoughts and atrocities from his past that were surfacing in his mind he was ashamed of how beastly he was and wanted to hide that beast from her. He was at war with himself. As much as he knew of the reasons for why he was voluntarily making himself vulnerable, the beast side was coming out and it was rearing its ugly head. The Beast was fighting back and making one last ditch effort to protect itself by casting doubts on his decision to follow through with tonight. He could tell Belle about children born of True Love. He could get her hopes up, but then he would risk the possibility that their child wasn't and his dream would come into fruition. Belle's life was in his hands; just like the dream showed him. And despite whatever doubts that plagued his mind, it was his love for his family that he valued more and he knew that inevitably he would be confessing tonight.

Gold spoke very little to Belle and the majority of their interaction was handled in silence. He was too consumed in his own thoughts and burdened by the things he would talk about. Where would he begin? How will it end? How will he know when the burden had been lifted? He feared the worst of tonight's outcome and it only exacerbated his doubts.

Gold walked aimlessly throughout their home pensive and anxious. Every time he entered the same room as Belle, she would catch him pacing and his mind clearly somewhere else. Belle tried to be supportive. Every so often in passing she would approach him to ask, "Is there anything I can do to help? Can I get you anything? Do you need anything from me?" and upon each reply he would answer almost coldly, "No, thank you."

She felt helpless watching her husband silently torture himself, and as each hour passed it made her even more anxious for the evening to begin. At different moments throughout the day she'd catch him spinning at his wheel, appearing at peace with his thoughts; but then as soon as she'd make her presence known he'd quickly get up and disappear. As to where he would disappear to, Belle was never able to question him about. She only hoped and assumed that he had gone off to his shop; most likely to tinker with items to keep his hands busy and his mind occupied. It was obvious to Belle that he wanted to be alone, at least for the time being. After all, he was going to share his thoughts with her later, so she practiced patience and waited for the evening to come.

Gold barely ate anything. He was much too disturbed by the maelstrom swirling within his brain. He knew what he had to do. The answer was all too clear; he would sacrifice his past for his family's future.

The evening had arrived. Regina and Henry pulled up into the driveway and slowly got out of the car. The mother and son walked hesitantly up the steps and were slightly relieved to be greeted by Belle at the door.

"Thank you for coming," said Belle as she opened the door into their home. Regina and Henry were both too distracted by what they were seeing to respond to Belle's greeting. They had never stepped inside Gold's house before. Never before did Belle think that she would one day be stepping face to face with the Evil Queen granting her access inside her home, their sanctuary. But there they were, inside their home, at the entrance way. It was a far cry from how Belle felt about Regina four years ago… even two months ago!

Belle guided the two, leading them into the living room area where Gold was waiting for them. As they continued walking down the hall Belle asked, "Can I… uh, get… get you both something to drink?"

"No, we had something to eat and drink before coming," Regina replied marveling over the interior of Gold's house. Gold looked up from where he was sitting on the couch and watched as Henry and Regina entered the living room. There were two chairs waiting for Regina and Henry in front of the couch Gold was sitting in and both mother and son went ahead and took their respective seats. Seeing that their guests were ready to get the evening started, Belle went ahead and sat down next to her husband on the couch.

"Thank you for coming," Gold said finally speaking. He looked almost ill. Belle reached for Gold's hand to which he seemed reluctant to take it.

"Well… let's just get this over with," replied Regina anxiously, getting straight to the point.

"So… how do we start?" Henry asked innocently. Henry, Regina and even Belle looked over at Gold.

"I'm afraid, Henry, that this is something that I must do alone. All I ask… is for you all to listen."

They all waited with bated breath for Gold's next words…

"Once upon a time… there was this boy. His mother abandoned him and was left to grow up with his father. This man was a gambler and selfishly thought of only himself. That man's name… was Malcolm; my father. Whenever my father would go off to gamble away our livelihood he would leave me behind with spinsters. My first stint in magic was the magical bean those spinsters gave me. They told me to go and use the bean to find a better life without my father, but I didn't. I should have heeded their suggestion.

"The bean whisked my father and I away to Neverland and it was there that my father abandoned me. I was taken back home by my father's magical shadow and from then on I was against magic. At the time, I swore to be good by doing good things and by working hard to get them. Obviously, it's been a long time since I made that oath and a lot has happened since then.

"I stayed close to the village where the spinsters raised me, but I was depressed. I left the spinsters to pursue my own career in spinning, but I was still very much alone. I was at a point where I didn't believe in anything anymore and had thoughts of ending my life, but a strange wind from the east came in… and I met a young woman named Milah. Her family was weary and destitute and had traveled from a very far away kingdom. So I took it upon myself to help her out and welcome her family to our village. Over time, we had many interactions which led to us falling in love. Or, so I thought we were in love… Milah and I later got married. I taught her how to spin at the wheel, and while she did the spinning I went out and did the selling. Then the draft for the Ogre Wars came and I snatched up that flyer seeing it as an opportunity to redeem myself from my father's cowardice.

"So I was called to the front lines. While the other troops and I waited to be called into battle I came across a Seer, who told me that I would be a father, and that my actions on the battlefield would leave my son fatherless. I was conflicted… and my desire to be a father overshadowed my wanting to save my reputation. As soon as I found out that I was going to be a father, I knew right then and there that I wanted to be the kind of father whose son knew nothing of abandonment; like I did. So I injured myself on the battlefield and became the village coward and I hobbled all the way home to be with my son. When I came home Milah was disgusted. She didn't share the same views as I did about family. She thought I should have died rather than come home in disgrace. But… in the end, I didn't care about how others thought of me, not even Milah. I only wanted to be the father my father wasn't. And as a result, I got the privilege to see my boy grow up. But as the years went by, Milah grew more irritable and even more bitter and it was in her shame in me that she became dissatisfied with her current life.

"There were times where she would disappear for days. She'd shrug off her parental and work responsibilities and I'd have to stop selling to go out and find her. And then one day, I found her gallivanting with a pirate named Killian Jones. She eventually abandoned us for the pirate. I tried to go after her and was led to that pirate's ship. He wanted me to fight for her. I was too afraid and too crippled to defend anybody, let alone myself. He even had me by the throat with his sword and said to me, 'A man unwilling to fight for what he wants deserves what he gets.' So I ran home, like the coward I was… to tell my boy that his mother had run off with a pirate. I should have manned-up and told him the truth, but instead I lied to my son. I lied to Baelfire and said that his mother died. It was a lot easier to lie because I was too ashamed of myself to tell Bae the truth. But I figured that Baelfire still had one parent… me. And I was determined to never abandon him.

"Time had passed since then… and the Ogre wars were at our front steps. A draft was enforced by the king forcing all capable bodies to the front lines, including children fourteen years of age or older. Bae was turning fourteen and I was not about to allow my only son to be slaughtered. We had tried to run away, but were soon caught by the king's soldiers. One of the soldiers debased me in front of my son and in order to escape with our lives, I had to show him fealty… he wanted me to kiss his boot. The choice was… kiss his boot and live, or be tried for treason for running away. I kissed his boot. So Bae and I returned home and along the way, a beggar man came to help. For his kindness in helping Bae and me home, he ate with us and stayed the night. And that night, he told me of the magic behind the king's power… The Dark One. He told me where to find it, how to get it and what to do with it once I had the dagger.

"With all good intentions, I had only wanted the power to save my son and the rest of the children from the Ogre's war. So with all acts of desperation I got the dagger and killed The Dark One. The power was then transferred to me, but my first act as the Dark One wasn't to end the Ogre's war… it was to take vengeance and kill the soldiers who had embarrassed me in front of my son. So I did just that. They didn't recognize me at first. Even Bae didn't recognize me as they were taking him away. I said to the soldiers, _Don't you remember me?_ I had to help jog their memory for a bit, but they soon came around. Once they knew I was the new Dark one, I had the soldiers groveling before me… begging me for their lives. The power felt good. No… more than good… insatiable. I wanted more! I slaughtered them all using the Dark One dagger… in front of my son. And ever since that day, my life had changed forever… and my relationship with my son was never the same.

"I grew excited and became enamored by my sudden surge in power. And for a desperate man who had nothing, but suddenly had everything… I easily gave into the power of the curse. And Bae saw, first hand, the creature I was becoming. Over time, I was beginning to see the beast through his eyes. In Bae´s eyes I saw unhappiness. With my new powers I tried to give him everything I never had. I had given him so much that it would have made the richest man in the Enchanted Forest blush. But he wanted none of it.

"I found a new profession, Magic, but I thirsted for more and I sought out every opportunity to exercise it. At first I had used magic to support my family. I´d conjure glorious meals that Bae took no part of. He claimed that the food tasted off and would intentionally starve himself. He forced my hand and I reluctantly hired a maid to cook and clean for us. One night I caught her eavesdropping on my conversation with Bae about the Dark One dagger. And although she was mute, I killed her anyways to ensure her continued silence.

"Ever since my killing spree of the guards in front of my son, I had handled all the rest of my transactions, deals and threats outside the house and _always_ away from his eyes. Somehow though, Baelfire always knew. Whether it was a bloodied boot or a stained jacket, he always knew what happened when deals with me went sour. And it was why Bae resented me for my magic. Not only did it make him unhappy, but my dealings left him friendless. Despite my constant support and love for him he was still very much alone.

"Bae expressed interest in leaving. At first, I thought he was finally warming up to the idea of living in a castle like we had talked about, instead of living in the same old hovel like we had been for years. But then he proposed a deal to me. He asked, 'If I could find a place for us to be together, would I go with him?' to which I hastily and reluctantly agreed. I thought he was referring to live somewhere different… in _this_ land. Only, my son did find a place for us… in a land without magic. He was given a magic bean from the Blue Fairy and that's what set everything into motion.

"It was all happening so quickly and I didn´t want to renege on our deal, so I went with him like I promised. Only… I _didn´t_ follow through on the deal. It was the only deal I ever broke. I can see it now… He tossed the bean and the portal expanded. I hesitated. I loved magic and I didn´t want to part with it. Time was running out. My son or magic. I didn´t want to go back to being the helpless and powerless like the man I once was. How could I protect my son being powerless? How could I live with myself going back to the man I once was… a loser? A coward? No. At that point, I didn´t want power… I _needed_ power. And in that split-second, I held my son´s hand over the portal. And in that one moment I had everything… magic and my son. And then I made my decision, and I caved-in to my power… and I let him go… alone.

"When he was gone, I finally realized that my son was my only reason for magic. My only reason for living. I lost him and with him my purpose and myself. His absence had left a void in my heart and I wasn´t the same. And the void was quickly filled by the only thing I had left… magic. I had regretted letting him go. And I was determined, more so than ever, to do whatever it would take to get him back. _Anything_.

"But I needed direction, I needed a path. I hunted for the Seer; the same Seer who had sent me on this wretched path to begin with. I eventually found her and it was in my original intention to have her tell me how to get back to my son, but I ended up taking her power of foresight and the transference of power killed her. Before she died, she told me about the curse that would lead me back to my son. She told me that a boy would lead me to him and that he would be my undoing. She also warned me that this boy was more than what he appeared to be. At the time, I was determined to get rid of whoever it was as long as it got to my son, even if that meant killing him… I didn´t know that this boy would be my own grandson… "

Gold shook his head in shame then looked over at Henry and apologized, "Henry… I am so incredibly sorry. Will you ever forgive me?"

Henry nodded understandably, "You were desperate. You loved your son." Henry looked up and looked at Gold more seriously, "I only have one question for you… Do you still want to kill me?"

Gold answered, shaking his head timidly, "No."

"Good," replied Henry casually, shrugging his shoulders, "Then we´re past it. All is forgiven."

"Thank you again, Henry, for understanding." Gold took a few deep breaths before continuing his story, "A short time after that I was approached by a prince who wanted me to get rid of a Queen… Elsa. He said that this Queen had unique abilities that would interest me… whether it would be to learn her abilities or use her to help me find my son. I met Elsa at her newly created Ice Castle. I was still trying to understand my new powers of foresight and I felt drawn to meet her… like meeting her would bring me closer to my son. Well I soon discovered that she was the one that was going to need help from me. She had emotional issues which affected her magic. Her powers were erratic and unpredictable and I didn´t know what to do with her. So I tricked her by trapping her inside an urn. I did it so that she couldn´t harm herself or anybody else. When she left, she left behind an incredible castle, which I took and made as my own transforming it into the Dark Castle.

"What I didn´t anticipate was the Queen´s sister, Anna, to come after her. Suddenly she was at my doorstep demanding to see her sister. She was annoying and I was going to turn her and her companion, Kristoff, into newts, but the princess said something that changed my mind. So I made a deal with her to reunite her with her sister… and I froze her heart. So with Elsa and Anna out of the picture I scared Kristoff away and never heard from him again… until recently.

"Some time had passed and I happened across the same captain that stole Milah away. Only, he didn't steal her, she ran away to be with him… because they were in _love_. I was so enraged and disgusted when I found out. She abandoned her son for the pirate. I couldn't believe it! I was livid. Driven to the point that when I came face to face with Milah again, I ripped her heart out… and crushed it.

Gold glimpsed at his wife, gauging her reaction. He half-expected a violent reaction, but instead she remained silent and still. He continued, "I had made more deals to pass the time, to analyze my vision more thoroughly. I knew I needed certain particular variables for the curse. I knew I couldn´t cast it. I needed someone else to cast it. One day, I had this vision of a miller´s daughter… Cora. I knew from my vision that she wouldn´t cast the curse, but that her daughter would. When I discovered Cora she was in dire-straights. She had placed herself in quite the precarious yet fortunate position. She snuck into an engagement party for Prince Henry. She got caught by the king and instead of showing modesty she showed insolence by talking back to the king. The king had sentenced her to death for her impertinence, but she claimed that she could provide the king what he needed… gold. She claimed that she could spin straw into gold and that she needed time to gather her thoughts to perform such a feat. So the king sent her to the highest tower to do just that; and if on the next day she didn´t demonstrate like she said, she would be sentenced to death. I suppose fate was working in my favor, so I offered her a deal to save her life.

"Cora," Rumple began reflecting back on how he knew her, "before any of you knew her, was one of the most curious and unique people I had met at the time. When I approached her, she wasn´t afraid of me or my magic and embraced us both. She was so enamored by it that she had me alter the deal by teaching her magic to save herself, instead of me saving her life for her. For teaching her magic, I only wanted her first born in exchange."

"Cora," Rumple paused, remembering her, "was sassy, bold and unafraid to get what she wanted… and I loved that about her. Our magical affair… it wasn´t true love. It took Cora ripping her own heart out and tricking me out of our own deal for me to realize this. I should have known that Cora was more interested in power. She was more in love with the power I wielded than me.

"I may be the master of deals and words, but she was the master manipulator. She was the only student I ever feared and loved at the same time. So we parted ways… but I was certain from my visions that her daughter would be the one to cast the curse. So I kept a careful distance from her; waiting ever so patiently for my star pupil to come along. I thought it was you, Regina," Rumple said looking over at her staring back at him stone-faced.

He continued, "Everything from my visions were saying so; even when you were just a baby and I held you in my arms… everything felt right and I was almost certain. Until one day, in the midst of your training with me I happened upon Zelena in your bedroom, performing the same vanishing spell that had taken you weeks to learn.

"I thought it was you, but was surprised when she introduced herself as Cora´s other daughter. After confirming that she was in fact Cora´s daughter, I grew doubtful over who would cast my curse. By then, the rest of the Dark Curse had formulated in my head and what I didn´t anticipate was having two possible candidates for the position. So I worked with Zelena and trained her. For the most part, I thought that she was one that would cast the curse. She was certainly powerful enough to cast it, but she was growing too close to me. I knew for certain, that the key component to casting the Dark Curse was sacrificing the heart of the thing you loved most, and for Zelena´s case, that was me.

"I had to stop my training with Zelena, for my own sake. Zelena found out that I was still teaching you, Regina, and she grew jealous. She was always jealous of you and it showed through her skin… and that was what terminated my education with her," Rumple hesitated, carefully choosing his next choice of words and continued, "Never in my visions or in my wildest dreams did I ever imagine seeing her again. And I thought she disappeared taking her bitterness with her, but instead she viciously held on to that grudge… thinking that if she were to go back to the past to change it, I would choose her instead of Regina to cast the curse. But she needed me… more specifically, my brains, to cast her time portal spell. But I was dead. And she knew of the only two people willing to bring me back…"

Rumple looked over at Belle and continued, "Belle and Neal were present at my resurrection… It was incredibly strange… the last thing I remembered before my death was stabbing my father… and then, what felt only moments later, I woke up seeing my son die in Belle's arms. I had woken up to a nightmare. We," Rumple said looking at his wife in the eyes, "all know that it was Neal who sacrificed himself to tell us about Zelena, but it was also his life that made my resurrection possible. Zelena tricked my son into bringing me back… and without fully explaining the price…"

He paused briefly looking down. Anger was swelling within him.

"I had spent… so long… centuries to find him. I watched generations of families and kingdoms rise and fall from power. I manipulated and hurt people. I even created a curse to get to him… just so I could apologize… and hold him, and tell him that I loved him. And to have that all…culminate to his death… all because of Zelena's jealousy… I killed her. I killed her for killing my son."

"What?! How?!" exploded Regina, looking at Belle. Belle knew about the switching of the daggers, but this… Zelena´s death was a new revelation. When Belle had his dagger she never gave Rumple the consent to kill Zelena… Unless she didn't have it. He must have had it the entire time.

Belle continued looking at her husband seriously, "Was there any point in time I actually had the dagger before you switched them?"

Belle thought of his proposal. Did she even have it then? Regina did a double-take between Rumple and Belle then angrily looked back at Belle.

"Wait a minute," Regina said looking at Rumple, "You switched the dagger?" Then she looked back at Belle, "You knew he killed Zelena?! You knew about him switching the daggers?!" Regina exclaimed angrily.

"Yes," interrupted Rumple, drawing the focus of attention upon himself, "Yes, _I killed Zelena_. And yes, I switched the daggers." Rumple turned to Belle placing a hand on her leg, "I know what you´re thinking. I switched the daggers after I proposed to you."

"Well isn´t that convenient?" Regina replied incredulously.

"For once," Belle added, "My sentiments match yours, Regina." Belle was doing her best to keep her emotions in check, but she couldn´t help but express the anger and disappointment that was exhibiting on her face. So she resolved to keeping her comments to herself until everything was explained. Until he was finished with his story; his confession.

"The whole point of you all being here is to witness my confession, so that the charms protecting my heart break. It would be pointless to be lying now," Rumple reasoned.

"I suppose you do have a point, but now I can´t help but wonder where the real Dark One dagger is," Regina said looking at Rumple and Belle, practically demanding an answer.

"It´s safe," Belle answered for Rumple, hoping that her saying '_it was safe'_ was sufficient enough to ease Regina´s concerns, yet not reveal the actual location of the dagger. Belle explained, "I actually discovered the switching of the daggers when Elsa came into town and kidnapped me. It was when I had tried to summon him using the dagger that I discovered he switched them… but it didn´t work. I eventually confronted him about it later, we talked and together we hid the real dagger. So, for now… the dagger is safe. At least, that much I knew. But I didn´t know about Zelena. That´s… that´s new to me."

Regina was dissatisfied with the answer Belle had given her and threw up her hands in helpless disgust. Regina was running out of blood relatives. But as she thought about it some more… she couldn´t justify the actions of her mother or her sister. They both raised hell on Storybrooke, causing chaos to the curse that was supposed to be her happy ending. Regina found herself at a stalemate. What could she have done? Seek justice for Cora and Zelena and take it out on Rumple? She knew that there was no controlling or setting boundaries to the most powerful man in all the realms. So she reluctantly settled to not forgetting that it was Rumplestiltskin who inevitably caused both of her mother and sister's deaths. She did kill her own father. So how could she judge when her crimes were just as bad as his? But her head wasn't on the chopping block to confess today… his was. She knew of her homicidal past, like Rumplestiltskin, she knew her past would inevitably catch up to her. She knew she would one day pay retribution for her crimes, but not today. Today, she was here to listen. To listen to the story from the man that had set her life in motion. So she leaned back in her chair bitterly and did the only thing she could do… listen.

"There´s more… Belle," Rumple continued, "before the curse in Storybrooke broke the first time, I had gone after your father. When Regina lied to me back in our land, about your death… I mourned you for so long. I… I had nearly killed him, injuring him severely when I confronted him about you. I went after him even when I knew he didn´t have his memories back. I was angry… I was emotional and cruel and I am sorry. If it wasn´t for Emma… intervening that night I confronted your father, I would have certainly have killed him for what I thought he did to you."

"And for that… Belle, I am still sorry for," interrupted Regina, apologizing to Belle.

"Well, he and I are both alive. I´m may not be as forgiving as Henry, but for now, I´m willing to let that go because… Henry´s right, it´s in the past. So let´s move on," Belle replied seriously. She knew that she would be hearing things she wouldn´t like. He _did_ warn her after all. So the only way to be done with this was to move on and to let him finish.

Rumple looked down guiltily and sighed before continuing. He looked back up at Belle, which only meant that there was more that affected her. She looked at him, doing her best to listen and not criticize. "I also know you´ve been looking for Gaston. He didn´t disappear. Back in our land, when you were still in the castle with me, he had arrived at my doorstep unexpectedly… and I got rid of him by turning him into the first non-threatening thing that I could think of… a flower. I´m… I´m sorry if he meant anything to you."

Silence filled the room and Rumple waited expectantly for Belle´s response. Belle replied simply, "Gaston was betrothed to me, yes, but… I didn´t have any feelings for him, only my royal obligations to him and my kingdom."

Belle looked away for a moment. She seemed to be handling the news well, but it was only because there was so much to take in. There was so much from his life that she didn't know, that she would spend her life trying to know, but there was also so much from her life that he didn't know. Belle scooted closer to her husband on the couch. She gripped Rumple´s hands with her own as she looked into his eyes. He somehow found the courage to confess things from his past and yet… she felt guilty. Guilty… because she wasn't perfect; she had kept things from him as well.

It was Regina all those years ago that suggested she was in love with Rumplestiltskin. When Regina captured her, it only cemented her love for him. She would never stop fighting for him, even now. And it was Regina who, not too long ago, introduced the idea of children. For the past few days, she had been so consumed with worry over the price of having a child with the Dark One that she completely overlooked and disregarded her own feelings on children and spent all day yesterday mulling over the thought. And now that they were doing something about her mortal concerns, she was finally able to collect her thoughts.

Belle had thought of her own mother; how perfect and enigmatic she was. Belle only had a few memories of her mother. All of them wonderful until one day she disappeared. Her father´s advisers told her and insisted that she passed away. And although Belle was only seven when it happened, she knew in her heart that her death wasn´t the truth.

Ever since her mother´s disappearance she had felt a maternal void; an inexplicable abandonment. Sure, she had female caretakers within the royal staffing, but none whom she´d give the honor of calling, '_Mother_'. It just didn´t feel right. So Belle isolated herself with the library her mother gave her. Her first library; filled with children´s books her mother would read to her every night and when the stories weren´t enough, her mother would enchant her with song to lull her to sleep. Belle´s mother was practically perfect in every way, and those few experiences with her mother and motherhood in general set the bar so high that it made her incredibly anxious.

While most girls played with dolls and socialized, Belle kept to herself. She would open one of the many books from her library and live vicariously through the characters. Belle feared what she didn´t know, and why she always made a point to find out about everything she could by reading everything. Motherhood was never explained in the books that she read, only what the authors felt mothers should be.

Rumple was overjoyed with the news of their expectancy and she was happy to see him happy, but if she wanted to be honest with herself, she was afraid. She didn´t want to have any children. But seeing the bravery of her husband, confessing the horrors of his past, gave her courage and inspired her to do the same. If she could forgive him of his past actions, surely he could forgive her for her honesty? She knew nothing of parenting, but he did. She knew when she married Rumplestiltskin that there would be hurdles to jump over and that the best part of that marriage was that they would be facing these hurdles together.

"So… what now?" asked Henry innocently, noticing the awkward silence and stillness of the room. "Did it work?"

"I suppose there´s only one way to find out…" said Rumple letting go of Belle´s hand to reach for his heart. Belle reached for his hand to stop him.

"Before you do this," Belle said to Rumple. He was confused by what she was doing, "I have something to confess."

"You don´t have to confess anything," Rumple said, still baffled.

"But I do," Belle insisted. She had to get this off her chest. This was the moment. If he had the courage to confess, so could she. "Ever since I discovered I was pregnant I´ve… I've had something weigh on my heart."

"Sweetheart, what could you possibly confess?" Everyone´s ears in the room perked with interest.

"I… I am not ready to be a mother," confessed Belle.

"Child, every parent feels that way for the first time," Regina said dryly. As if Belle´s confession was something trivial.

"No," Belle disagreed, "that´s not what I mean." Belle paused for a moment looking at her husband. She felt horrible about what she was about to say next, "I never wanted to be a mother."

"Belle…" Rumple said, shocked over what Belle said, "Why do you think that? What are you so afraid of?"

He cut straight to the heart of Belle´s issue. As if he knew that she feared what she didn´t know.

"All my life, I had known my purpose as a princess. Get married and have children for the prosperity of my father´s kingdom. Having children sealed my fate and my role in life… and ever since I knew that I dreaded it. I feared not having control over my own fate. I wanted so much more than that provincial life. I knew very little of my own mother, but what I do remember of her… she was perfect. She... I… I can´t do this!"

Tears began falling from Belle´s eyes. She knew how much this news was crushing his heart. She started to hyperventilate. Rumple saw the fear from Belle and tried to calm her.

"Darling! Darling…" Rumple said, soothing her by rubbing and patting her arm gently. He paused for a moment and then brought her close for a hug. She was clearly upset by this and he kissed her head. "You´re wrong. You _can_ do this and you won´t be alone."

He pulled apart from her to look her confidently in the eyes. He kissed her again on the forehead and continued, "You´re not the only one becoming a parent. You forget… this is _our_ child and _we're_ going to become parents. And as far as making mistakes as parents and not being perfect, that´s inevitable. It's not just inevitable, that's _normal_. And as much as you try, you can´t be perfect. No one can be, not even me. Though, on a side note, I think you´re perfect just as you are. But as long as we try our best and continue loving our child as we love each other, then I think we´ll do alright. Please," he said picking up her hand and kissing it, "Allow me to help ease your fears. Let me help you not feel so alone on this path to parenthood. We can do this… together. But first, I need you to do something for me…"

Rumple waved his hand over Belle´s and enchanted it. Belle looked at him quizzically, unsure of what he was asking her to do. He continued, "I need you to take my heart because it´s yours. It has always been yours."

"Rumple… I… I can´t!" Belle insisted retracting her hand from his. Rumple gently reached again for her withdrawn hand and protectively cradled it between his own two hands.

"Yes, you can because I believe in you. And you must because you are the final barrier. Belle… only my true love can take it… and that´s you."

He waved his hand over his chest and prepared it for the reception of Belle´s hand. Belle timidly raised her hand and paused over his chest. "Will it hurt?"

"Only temporarily."

It didn´t give Belle any confidence, but she knew what she had to do. She gulped and inhaled slowly. She concentrated with all her might for her action to be as painless as possible. And like pushing a hand into a pillow, she gently plunged her hand into his chest. She felt the hardened muscle give out a pulse, letting her hand know that she had found his heart. She grabbed it and held on to it dearly as she delicately pulled it out from his chest. Rumple winced with pain and his mouth fell agape. He held his chest and began massaging the void. She could feel his heart continue pulsing in her hand. The pulse quickened its beat. The whole sensation made her nervous and she asked nervously, "Are you ok?"

Rumple nodded, "For now."

Belle nodded to reassure him, but mostly to reassure herself. She took in a nervous breath and said back to him, "Alright, now it´s my turn."

Rumple nodded again. He had plucked many hearts in his past, but this was the first time he found himself incredibly nervous; he would be plucking the heart of his True Love. Belle saw his hand tremor nervously over Belle´s chest. She took his nervous hand and kissed it. "It´s ok Rumple. I´m ready. I trust you."

As soon as she let go of his hand he swiftly pushed his hand through her chest. Unlike his previous heartless victims where he violently ripped their hearts out, he plucked hers out like plucking an apple from the branch of a tree. Belle groaned in pain, mimicking Rumple´s reaction to her missing heart.

"I´m sorry! I´m sorry!" he said frightened over any additional pain he may have caused. He took his other available hand and placed it on her shoulder, "Are you ok?"

"Yeah," said Belle putting on a brave face. She still held on to Rumple´s heart. She nodded and looked down at his heart. "So… what now?" she said lifting his heart.

"Hand it over to Regina," Rumple directed, "I need to see how she broke Snow´s heart using my own first."

Belle did as her husband asked and handed his heart over to her. Regina held Rumplestiltskin´s heart as she had held so many other hearts in her past. Regina stared at Rumple´s darkened heart. Her silent contemplation made everyone in the room uncomfortable. Henry looked at his mother with alarm, "Mom… what are you doing? What are you waiting for?"

"A long time ago, Henry, when your grandfather was teaching me magic… I held my first heart just like this. One of the major lessons I had to perform for him was pulling out a heart and crushing it."

Her comment made everyone begin to panic and it was evident through the rapid beatings of Rumple and Belle´s exposed hearts. Regina continued, "And for the longest time, I had dreamt of this moment… where I would be doing it to his."

She broke her trance from Rumple´s heart and looked at Henry´s scared eyes. Regina´s face melted from revenge to sad reflection, "After what he did to my mother and sister, I have every right to crush it, but… I´ve changed since then, since _you_ Henry."

She looked back at Rumple´s heart with focused determination, "Here´s hoping I don´t regret doing this."

Regina took a breath and placed both hands carefully over Rumple´s vulnerable heart. Rumple looked on at Regina studiously as she strategically placed her thumbs at his heart´s center crevice. In one swift movement, Regina twisted slightly and pulled, successfully severing Rumple´s heart in two. Rumple flinched and the separation, but only for a moment. Only a couple of tears fell from the corner of his eyes. Belle looked at him observantly, expecting a more dramatic reaction. She placed a concerned hand on his knee, "Rumple… Rumple, are you ok?"

"Unfortunately," he said wiping the few tears away from his face, "I´ve had the experience of getting my heart broken before."

He closed his eyes for only a moment. When he opened them again he looked at his wife still holding her heart. "I´m so sorry I have to do this to you, my love."

Belle nodded sympathetically, "You have to do this. This is for our child. I understand."

Rumple came forward and kissed Belle tenderly on the lips. When they broke apart from the kiss another tear fell from his eye. He looked down at Belle´s heart and kissed it sweetly before replicating what Regina did to his heart. Belle didn´t handle the breaking of her heart as gracefully as Rumple did and let out a loud moan. She tried to immediately compose herself by keeping a strong face, but she couldn´t help the pain and caved, allowing multiple tears to fall from both her eyes.

"It´ll all be over soon. I promised," he replied. With the successful division of both hearts, Rumple took one of the halves of his heart from Regina and exchanged it for one of Belle´s halves. He then took the two different halves and placed them side by side in his left hand. He waved his right hand over the pair and like a magical sewing machine the two halves connected harmoniously together like two magnets drawn to each other. Upon seeing the chimera heart give out its' first beat, he immediately placed the new heart back in her body first. Belle gasped at the sudden impact, as if her own life was being thrust back into her body. The insertion was literally breath-taking and she looked over at her husband for affirmation.

Worry riddled his face as Rumple asked curiously, "Are you alright? How do you feel?"

"I´m…" she began to say as she tried to catch her breath, "I´m ok. It worked!"

Rumple nodded and proceeded to do the same with the other two halves. He waved his hand over the other two halves like he did with hers and the two parts magically sewn themselves together. He immediately placed his new heart back into his own chest and gave a little gasp. Belle stared at him intensely, waiting for a response. "Rumple…"

She waited again for him to say something and when he didn´t say anything, Belle asked with deep concern, "Rumple… how do you feel?"

"I feel… complete."

He beamed at her and with a reciprocated smile Belle leaned forward and kissed him on the lips. After immediately kissing her back, he parted his lips from hers and they fell into each other´s embrace, rejoicing over the successful operation. Regina coughed trying to get the couple´s attention.

"Well… I´m glad that it worked," Regina said awkwardly interrupting their celebration.

"Yes," said Rumple pulling away from his hug with Belle to face Regina. "Thank you," he said earnestly.

"That's a first. You know, even after casting your curse for you, you never thanked me. So… you´re welcome."

"There´s a first for everything," said Henry, smiling at his mom then back over at his grandfather and Belle; happy that the whole procedure was successful.

"Thank you both for… well for listening," said Rumple honestly.

Regina and Henry both nodded, then Regina quipped, "For the record, this one was one the house. I mean, now that we´re supposedly family and all…"

The words came out of Regina´s mouth sarcastically. She knew of his pension for deals, debts and favors, to which Rumple smiled gratefully at her and said, "Don´t worry Regina, I´m not going to forget this."

Regina nodded amicably. It was the first time she and Rumplestiltskin had finally come to an accord. Seeing that their presence was no longer need, Regina stood up and called to her son, "Come Henry, let´s go home."

Henry nodded compliantly to his mother, standing up beside her. He then looked over at Belle and Rumple and said, "We´ll just… see ourselves out."

Rumple and Belle both nodded and Henry led the way out leaving the living room first. Regina followed after her son with a loving guiding hand on his shoulder and they left the Gold residence together. Belle beamed at her husband as they both heard Regina´s car roar into life and depart from their driveway. Rumple smiled back at his wife as he heard Regina´s car leave their premises.

"Me too," said Belle breaking the silence. Rumple furrowed his eyebrows, confused by her statement. She continued, "I feel complete too."

Rumple said nothing and began kissing her affectionately. When their lips parted, their foreheads fell naturally against each other. With his new heart unburdened and his mind and soul cleansed from his past, the renewed Rumplestiltskin replied lovingly, "I love you Belle."

"I know," responded Belle, "and I love you Rumplestiltskin."

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**Phew! Holy-Editing-Batman! That was a lot. Sorry it took me this long to push this out. There was a lot to read... and edit. I'm sure I missed some things, but there you have it. You made it! Go on… pat yourself on the back, you deserve it. And oh, just curious, any guesses as to who you think I'm casting as Belle's mother? I did leave some bread crumbs in this chapter, though I'm interested to hear your theories.**

**Thanks to OUATgirl17, Montreat11, Katelynberg and BreathingintheSun for sticking with me and reviewing! You guys are so absolutely wonderful. Stay beautiful. See you next chapter.**


	36. The Sorcerer's Apprentice

The following day Henry came by his grandfather's pawn shop after school. He opened the front door and the bell to Gold's shop jingled. When Henry entered the shop he was surprised that his grandfather wasn't there to greet him right away, so he called into the shop, "Mr. Gold? Grandpa?"

"I'm back here Henry," called Mr. Gold from the back of his shop. "Come on in."

Henry walked slowly through the beaded curtain that led to Gold's private work office and saw his grandfather spinning at his spinning wheel. Henry watched the wheel for a few moments and found himself strangely mesmerized by the spokes that spun around the axel. A question bubbled to the surface of Henry's mind so he asked curiously, "Why do you still spin? Nobody really purchases thread anymore."

Mr. Gold smirked as he spun the wheel a little more slowly. "It's a hobby that's now become a habit of mine. It helps me forget, and it helps me think… which reminds me…"

Mr. Gold stood up from the small wooden stool and walked over to his jacket. He picked up the jacket and began putting it on. He eyed Henry suspiciously, but then smiled as he said, "I'm heading over to the library to meet Belle for a few moments. The pocket-watch you're looking for is on the counter at the front of the shop. I also left you a notepad and pen beside it. Feel free to look around and write down all the items you see and categorize them as you see fit. Should you need any help, I'll only be a few moments at the library. When I return, I'll answer any questions you may have."

Gold walked over to Henry and patted him lovingly on the shoulders. Gold then made his way toward the front of his shop. Henry followed after him to the front of the store. When Gold opened the front door Henry shouted after him, "Grandpa?"

Gold paused at the threshold to his shop and turned to face his grandson, "Yes Henry?"

"I… uh, just wanted to say that… what you did last night was a really brave thing. I think Dad would have been proud."

"Thank you Henry," replied Gold with a grateful smile, "It really means a lot hearing it from you."

Henry smiled at his grandfather and Gold nodded as he finally exited and left his shop. Henry immediately set his book bag down and whipped out his library book. He laid the book down on the counter and flipped to the page of the Traveler's Spell. He brought the open book with the incantation over to the pocket-watch. He held his open hands over the watch and looked over at his book to reference as he called out, "Hellebore henbane aconite glowworm fire and firefly light."

The pocket-watch began to glow a warm pink, as if the magic he had performed heated the item itself. Henry smiled to himself seeing that the spell worked. He touched the long minute-hand of the watch and turned it a quarter-turn to the left extinguishing the pink glow. Henry flipped through the pages in his book searching for the Levitation Spell. Now that he was able to enact the Traveling Spell, he felt confident that this next spell would work too.

He looked around the shop for something that could carry him. He began looking up and down and around corners of the room for an item to use as transportation when traveling to these different worlds. It wasn't enough that this item needed to help carry him away in a bind, but he needed the item to come to him when beckoned; which meant that the item he needed would need to take life of its own and to recognize his call. He would need to cast the Substitutiary-Locomotion Spell first.

In his book, Ms. Price used an enchanted a broom to carry her around, so Henry figured… why not for him? Henry looked around his grandfather's shop for a broom. Henry chuckled to himself because of how clichéd it all felt. He opened a couple of cabinets and closets until he found one hiding in the corner in the back of his shop. Henry brought the modern broom out to the front of the shop and leaned it against the glass counter where the book was displayed open behind it. Majestically, Henry called out to the broom, waving his hands, "Treguna Mekoides Tracorum Satis Dee."

Nothing happened. Henry frowned as he double-checked the spell in the book. He reread the spell and began to doubt the pronunciation of the words when suddenly the broom began to twitch. The broom twitched again and then began sweeping the floor on its own. Henry pointed at the broom and then directed it to continue sweeping at the opposite end of the store.

Suddenly, Henry heard some rustling behind him and random objects entered the front of the store from the back of his grandfather's private workshop. Mr. Gold's extra clothes had escaped a closet from the back and floated its way to the front, parading and dancing around Henry. Random objects throughout the shop were moving on their own accord. Some items were tethered in place while others became unhinged and joined in on the jamboree.

Things were becoming chaotic and getting out of control. Henry began to panic as he pushed though the random dancing items in the room to get to his book. He grabbed the book and began to feverishly flip through the pages, desperately searching for a spell to stop the nonsense. He read this exact situation happening in the story of his book, but before he could flip to the page to see the spell to stop the madness one of Mr. Gold's finely shined dress shoes came over to Henry and kicked the book out of his hands. The book immediately fell to the floor and Henry bent to the floor to grab it. The same shoe that knocked the book out of his hands swiftly kicked him in the behind knocking Henry flat on the floor. Henry saw the book and went to grab it, but the shoe's twin kicked the book out of Henry's reach and it slid across the floor and underneath one of the shop's glass display cases. Things were bad for Henry, and things got worse when he heard the front door bell ring.

"Woah!" shouted Mr. Gold as he dodged a darting envelope opener. "Henry, where are you?!" he shouted into the mayhem.

"Grandpa! I'm down here!" Henry shouted back from down below. Gold couldn't see his grandson, and out of frustration said to himself, "Oh, this is ridiculous."

Mr. Gold threw up his hands and waved them stoically over his entire shop. Upon his gesture all of the items froze in place and fell immediately to the floor. With all the items now on the floor, Gold could finally see his grandson who was curled up over by one of his display cases. Henry's arms were still wrapped protectively over his head when Gold approached him.

"Henry, are you ok?" Gold questioned as he helped Henry to his feet. Gold continued, "With magic, you should never initiate a spell without knowing how to stop it."

Henry quickly dusted himself off and begged, "Please, don't tell my moms! Emma doesn't like magic and magic has always complicated my relationship with Regina and…" and then it hit Henry. Mr. Gold wasn't upset _or_ surprised; it was as if he was expecting it. "wait a minute… you knew I could do magic?"

"Of course I did. It was obvious when you were asking me about it two days ago. Well, it was _what_ you were asking me that made me suspicious initially."

Henry's face was riddled with worry. He didn't want his mothers to know just yet. Henry's mouth fell open preparing to speak but Gold held up his hand to stop him. "Don't worry," Gold said lowering his hand, "I'm not going to tell them, at least not yet anyways. This will be our little secret… for now. But I must warn you, secrets have a way of being discovered. Sooner or later they will find out."

"I know, I know. But I'm working on something really important. No one can find out about it, at least not yet."

"I'll tell you what… Let me make you another deal. If you come by my shop every day after school and allow me to train you properly, I won't say a word about this to either of your mothers."

"Deal!" Henry exclaimed excitedly, thrilled over the notion of learning magic with his grandfather. Henry quickly gathered his book bag and made his way to leave the pawn shop.

"Thanks Grandpa!" shouted Henry as he opened the front door to leave Gold's shop. "See you tomorrow!"

The front door closed again and the bell gave a final jingle. Gold smiled amusedly to himself as he waved his hand over his entire shop. Every item that was out of place magically found its way back to its original spot in the store. Gold walked toward the back of his shop walking by one of the glass display cases when he accidentally tripped over a book that was on the floor. Gold curiously picked up the book. He didn't recognize the book as anything from his own library so he flipped it around to the front and read the title.

**Bedknobs and Broomsticks**

- PROPERTY OF STORYBROOKE PUBLIC LIBRARY –

_Henry must have left this,_ Gold concluded. He leafed through the pages and quickly read through Henry's borrowed book. Gold almost gave up on the book entirely when he happened upon the Traveler's Spell, which Henry had left heavily creased from having referenced the page so often. He studied the book for a moment and then immediately went to the back of his shop to retrieve an item. When came back out to the front of the shop again, he carried with him Henry's book and the gold cane from his cursed Storybrooke self.

Gold placed Henry's book down on the counter which freed his hands to grip the cane better. He started to fidget with the cane itself, but it was as sturdy as ever… except the bottom. Gold stared at the rubber plug at the end of his cane. He reached for it and tugged at it. Gold twisted the rubber knob and with great success was able to twist the knob off. With surprised satisfaction, Gold took the two pieces of his cane and laid it gently down on the counter.

Gold referenced Henry's book for the spell and memorized it. _Could it really be that easy?_ He thought to himself. Unlike Henry, Gold didn't need to say the spell out loud. His prowess and experience in magic allowed the words in his mind to transform into magic by mere thought through his hands. All he needed to do was concentrate on the words as they repeated in his mind's eye.

_Hellebore henbane aconite glowworm fire and firefly light_

Gold slowly waved his hands over the cane as he repeated the words in his head. In just moments of waving, the cane glowed a dark purple signaling the success of the spell. Gold smiled to himself as he took the rubber knob and screwed it back on the bottom of his cane. He adjusted the rubber bottom so that cane could rotate on it and not fall off inconveniently. He looked at the book again and read the passage one more time before testing it. He held onto the cane, like his curse self had done for twenty-eight years, and suddenly felt nostalgic. As he leaned upon the cane for support like he once had, he reflected on the man he once was and the man he was now. He thought about the time he crippled himself on the battlefield to be with his son. He thought on how his leg had constantly pained him… that is, until he was introduced to magic. He needed more magic and he knew where to find it. So he felt it only appropriate as he cleared his throat and called out to the cane, "Cane, take me to my Dark Castle in the Enchanted Forest."

Gold tapped his cane to the ground three times. When the cane rested on the ground he twisted it, pivoting on the newly adjusted knob a quarter-turn to the left. As soon as Gold twisted the cane into the ground, he became engulfed in glittery purple smoke and then disappeared completely from his shop.

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**Hello my beautiful readers. It was so nice catching up with all of you. What a treat to read all of your reviews! And a special shout-out thank you to BreathingintheSun, Katelynberg, TheGreenFairy25, OUATgirl17 and Montreat11! You guys motivate me to write every day... so thank you! (OUATgirl17, since I can't PM you I'll just answer quickly and simply here... to answer your question, I'm going to skip ahead, but not so much. I still have some storytelling left before we get there.)  
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**I was quite tickled when writing this chapter because I literally combined three similar situations from three different stories into one fiction. The Sorcerer's Apprentice from Fantasia, Bedknobs and Broomsticks and now Once Upon A Time. For my readers who remember Bedknobs and Broomsticks, were you just as amused as I was? lol.  
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**See you next chapter. :)**


	37. 7 Months Later

_**In Storybrooke…**_

"Cogsworth, take me to Mr. Gold's Pawnshop," called Henry to his pocket-watch while standing in a school bathroom stall. He tapped the watch three times and then turned the minute hand a quarter-turn to the left. In an instant, Henry was engulfed in rosy-pink smoke and disappeared. When he reappeared he was standing outside of his grandfather's pawnshop. He walked up to the shop and reached for the door only to discover that it was locked. Henry peered inside the vacant shop and discovered a key on a pillow that rested in front of a sign that read in Gold's handwriting:

_Use the spell we worked on_

_to get the key to _

_open this door._

Henry grumbled a little as he tried to remember the feeling he had the first time he was able to make things disappear and reappear. He recalled some of the lessons his grandfather had been trying to tell him these past year. "_Not all spells require incantations, the better spells are the ones that require intuition and feeling."_

Henry always liked the magic spells that required words. In Henry's opinion, he felt that spells with words were more tangible. However, no one in his family used incantations to perform magic, and Henry admitted that it was much easier to remember feelings than random gibberish words. "_You're thinking!"_ Henry could hear his grandfather's voice in his head. "_Don't think! Feel!"_

_I want to come inside. Give me that damn key! _Henry shouted in his head with authority. Henry held out his hand with confidence and suddenly red smoke appeared. When the smoke disappeared the key that was once inside was now resting in the palm of his hand.

"Yes!" shouted Henry gleefully to himself. He went to put the key into the lock and unlock the door, but hesitated for a moment to think. There was a reason why his grandfather strategically placed the key and the visible sign inside the shop. Mr. Gold anticipated Henry's arrival and he wanted Henry to utilize his magic to get into the shop. It was a brilliant exercise, but Henry wanted to take the lesson a step further. He wanted to show his grandfather how much he had learned and was determined to do that by sneaking his way into the shop undetected. To Henry, Mr. Gold always seemed to know things, always had plans, always anticipated and was never surprised. Could Henry do it? Could today be the day he surprised, maybe even startle his own grandfather? Henry saw it as a challenge and smiled mischievously over the thought.

From outside the shop, Henry looked up inside the door's window and noticed the bell. He needed to bypass the door entirely to eliminate the bell's jingle and thus blowing the whole scheme. So Henry thought of the Vanishing Spell he was taught. _Like a breath, you are the wind. In a blink you are gone,_ Henry thought and felt. When he closed his eyes, he disappeared but when he open them he was inside the shop. He waited in silence as he strained to hear the location of his grandfather. Subtle soft squeaks and rattled wood could be heard coming from the back room, which only meant that Gold was spinning at his spinning wheel.

Henry glimpsed at the entranceway to the back office and noticed the beaded curtain; another alarm that could blow his cover. So Henry thought of the Freezing Spell he learned only a couple of months ago and threw up his hands at the beaded curtain, freezing it in place. Henry took a step forward into the store and upon the shift of weight the wooden floorboards creaked beneath his feet. Henry froze in place at the sound and listened for any movement his disturbance may have cause in the backroom. Nothing. The squeaking from the spinning wheel continued.

Henry exhaled silently. He needed to be lighter… smaller. A rabbit! A Transformation Spell. It was the first spell he mastered. _Filigree apogee pedigree perigee,_ Henry chanted inside his mind and in a silent _poof!_ He turned into a small white rabbit. Henry hugged along the store's wall with his now soft padded feet and hopped quietly to the beaded entranceway. From the ground, Henry looked up and saw the extension of the beaded curtain and through it, his grandfather spinning at the wheel. The bead's length extended from the door's frame and dangled five inches above the ground. With Henry's current size, it was the perfect gap for him to sneak through. Henry stealthily tried, as only a small rabbit could, to sneak underneath the curtain when—

"I admire your efforts, Henry," Gold said out loud as he continued spinning at the wheel. Gold didn't even flinch as he continued assuredly, "but a _rabbit_? I thought I had taught you better."

Henry instantly transformed back to his human self and stood disappointedly behind his grandfather. "Aw man! How did you know?"

Gold stood up from his stool and finally turned facing his grandson. "You forget… I can see into the future. I knew you were coming."

"Oh."

"That," he said while checking the clock on the wall, "and knowing that school gets out at about three and that you typically arrive at my shop at about 3:30… I was expecting you at any moment."

Gold walked past Henry and patted him on the shoulder as he went for his jacket. He saw Henry's disappointed face and acknowledged, "It was a valiant effort, my boy… really. You've come a long way these past few months. You're actually doing quite well."

"I was trying to surprise you," Henry stated.

"You're going to find that there is very little that surprises me," Gold said amusedly. He smiled to himself over Henry's attempt as he slipped on his jacket.

"But seriously," Henry continued, "At what precise moment did you even know I was in the shop?"

"Henry… I am magic… and I can sense when any magic is being performed, especially in my shop."

"Oh," understood Henry. He noticed Gold making his way to the front of the shop carrying a separate set of keys and followed after him. "Are we not having a lesson today?" Henry inquired.

"Not today, Henry. I'm sorry. Why don't you take the rest of the day off? Enjoy your weekend. I, myself, am going to head home early to enjoy the weekend with Belle."

"Oh, ok," said Henry disappointedly as he exited the shop with his grandfather. "I guess I'll see you on Monday, then?"

Gold locked the door behind them and agreed, "I will see you Monday after school."

… …

"Belle," called out Gold as he opened the door and entered his own home. Gold heard no response and found it kind of odd that he wasn't greeted at the door like he normally was. So he proceeded up the stairs in search for his wife on the second floor. He opened the door to their bedroom and was surprised to see it vacant. He checked in on the other rooms further down the hall until finally he came to the nursery.

His heart melted with relief and happiness when he saw his wife sleeping comfortably in the nursery rocking chair. Her head was turned away from the window light and her mouth hung open slightly as she inhaled and exhaled peacefully. An arm dangled by her side while the other remained curled and close to her chest. An open book laid sprawled upon her swollen stomach and he chuckled to himself at the sight of it.

"Glad to see you two had a good day," he said softly to himself as he pulled up a neighboring foot stool and sat down beside her. He carefully lifted the book up from Belle's belly to get a better look at what she was reading. _Beauty and the Beast. _

"Is your mother reading this to you again?" he asked his unborn child as he flipped through the worn pages, "Why am I not surprised?"

He closed the book and got up to place it back on the book shelf behind the rocking chair. He returned to his seat and resumed his conversation, "You know… your mum loves that book. I don't know why she insists on reading _that_ version to you. So let me finish telling you what _actually _happened… True, there was a beast, and true, the beast was actually a man. But the man… never viewed himself as a man. He allowed a curse to take control of him and the magic… the magic was what warped him from the inside out."

Belle woke from her nap and opened her eyes slightly. She remained still and closed her eyes again, smiling to herself as she listened to him continue telling their tale.

"And his counterpart, Beauty… well, she is every bit the definition of the word. _But you know what word is better than beautiful? No?_ I've got one… _gorgeous_. Now Beauty… both in the story and real life, is absolutely gorgeous and incredibly smart…"

"Get on with the story," insisted Belle impatiently.

"Pay no attention to your mother because I'm going to tell the story the way I want to," he glimpsed up at Belle briefly before resuming, "Anyways, where was I? Ah yes… Beauty was a hero. But before she was a hero, she was actually a princess, who made a deal with the Beast to save her family and her kingdom. So the deal was struck and she came to live in the Beast's castle forever. She became a maid… and she was never afraid of the Beast that lived with her. Time passed and during that time she was able to see things about the Beast that others have always overlooked. She saw the man in the beast. I thought she was… I mean, the Beast thought she was getting too close and became very afraid. So he gave her, her freedom and sent her away. She left, but then later returned… because during that time of getting to know the Beast, she had actually fallen in love with the man. When she returned, the Beast was overjoyed. He very much dreaded being alone. She happily came back to him and then they shared True Love's Kiss and then lived happily ever after."

"That's," Belle opened her eyes and raised an eyebrow at her husband, dissatisfied with the abrupt ending, "not how I remember it ending."

"I had to cut the story short," he said as he got up from the foot stool he was sitting on, "You were intruding on father-daughter time."

"Mmhmm," Belle replied, eyeing him disbelievingly. Gold came over and bent down to Belle giving her a quick kiss on the lips.

"How was your day Mrs. Gold?" asked Mr. Gold as he helped his wife to her feet.

"Good. I missed you today," she said as she got up and wrapped her arms around him for a hug.

"You missed me? You saw me earlier this morning before I left for work."

"I know, but… I can't shake this feeling… I don't know. Maybe it's the hormones or whatever… but every time you leave for work it feels like you're traveling to another realm…"

Gold raised his eyebrows out of guilt surprise. She could unknowingly tell whenever he left this world. He masked his guilt by agreeing, "Perhaps… you're just tired… and cooped up in this house."

"You've been through this before… is it normal to feel… I don't know, this _clingy_?" she asked, pulling apart from him to get a better look at his face.

"Well," he said looking down at Belle's belly. He rubbed her belly lovingly as he reflected, "unfortunately I wasn't there when Baelfire was born. I was away at the Ogre's war while Milah was pregnant… so to be honest, I wouldn't know." He looked back up at Belle and reached for her hands, "But I'm here now, and I'm not going anywhere this weekend. And I can't think of a better way to spend the weekend than with my two favorite people."

He took Belle by the hand and led her out of the nursery into the hallway. "I've got an idea. How about… you and I go out to eat tonight," suggested Gold.

"_Out?_ Ugh…" Belle stopped in the middle of the hallway and began massaging her belly. Gold stopped when she did and turned around. "Do you not want to go out?"

"I do, but… that requires finding decent looking clothes and then getting dressed and then makeup and then by the time all is said and done I'll be ready to sleep."

"Then it's settled. We'll stay in," Gold said slapping his hands together excitedly. "If I recall correctly, there's still one more dinner recipe from that cookbook you borrowed from the library we still haven't tried yet… the Beef Stroganoff."

"That's sounds great," said Belle with relief.

"Let me get dressed into something more comfortable and I'll meet you in the kitchen to get started," he said while loosening his tie. Belle nodded as she held on to the banister to take her first careful step down the stairs.

"Hey," said Gold trying to get Belle's attention. She barely made it down the second step before looking back at her husband who was gazing at her amorously from the second floor. "Have I mentioned how beautiful you look today?"

Belle blushed with a smile, "Not today."

Gold came closer to her at the stairwell and bent down to give her another affectionate kiss, "Well I think you are exceptionally gorgeous today."

He pulled away from her, but Belle tugged at his loose tie stealing one more kiss from him. "Thank you," she remarked, "You are too kind to me."

"Only to you," he said with a smirk.

… …

Henry came home to Regina's empty white house. On a typical Friday, he would start getting his bags packed to spend the weekend with Emma when suddenly his phone chirped. He went up to his bedroom tossing his book bag carelessly to the floor and pulled out his cell phone. He sat down on his bed as he read a text from his mother, Regina:

_I won't be home tonight to drop you off at Emma's. Let her know to come pick you up. I have a date with Robin tonight. Have a good weekend with Emma. Love you._

He placed his phone back in his back pocket when he heard another chirp emit from his cell, alerting him of another text. This time, the text came from Emma:

_Hey kid. Killian and I would like to spend some personal time this weekend. Would you be terribly disappointed if he and I had this weekend to ourselves? If you are, just say the word and I'll head on over to come pick you up._

Henry looked down at his cell phone and hesitated with his response. Both of his mothers were preoccupied with their love interests this weekend. And as much as he loved both of them and wanted to see them happy, he couldn't help but feel a little lonely. He thought about visiting his other grandparents, the Charmings, but spending a weekend with a newborn wasn't exactly what he had in mind for the weekend.

He thought of his dad, Neal. It was moments like this when he missed him terribly. And it was these lonely moments that validated the mission he had been solitarily and secretly working on for months, _Operation Golden Retriever_. With the excellent magical education from his grandfather he felt more confident in his abilities. Even his grandfather thought that he had improved immensely, and Henry knew he wasn't the kind of person that gave out compliments generously. It was enough confidence that convinced Henry that _Operation Golden Retriever_ was ready to begin.

Henry pulled out his cell phone and sent Emma back a text:

_That's fine. I'll just stay with Regina this weekend. Enjoy your time with Killian. Love you._

Only… Henry wasn't going to stay at Regina's. He was going to go initiate _Operation Golden Retriever_. He grabbed as many essential items as possible and tossed them into his book bag; a yoga mat, snacks, a flashlight, and an extra sweatshirt. He also tossed in his two library books: _Bedknobs and Broomsticks_ and _The Mighty Hercules_. Seeing that he was ready to go, he pulled out his pocket-watch and called to it, "Cogsworth, take me to Storybrooke forest."

He tapped the watch three times and turned the minute-hand a quarter turn to the left. He disappeared from his bedroom and reappeared at the outskirts of Storybrooke forest. He put Cogsworth back in his pants pocket and took out the yoga mat from his book bag. He spread out the mat across the forest floor and held his hands over it as he chanted, "_Treguna mekoides trecorum satis dee_."

The yoga mat sprung into life, flopping and turning excitedly. The mat stood erect on one end and made waving gestures to Henry using the small decorative tassels at the corner of its body to communicate and express itself.

"Mat, I'm going to need you for something important," explained Henry to the newly animated yoga mat. "I'm going to a foreign place and I may need you for transportation."

Mat used the tiny roped tassels and made a gesture like a hand scratching its' head.

"How?" Henry said, acknowledging Mat. "I'm going to make you fly, of course." Henry held his hands over the mat once more and chanted, "_Lackipo nikrif scrumpet leech_."

Mat instantly floated in place in front of Henry. Realizing its own freedom, Mat flew and dove around Henry causing him to spin and get dizzy. "Woah, boy! I know you're excited, but not yet. I need you to stay wrapped up until I _really_ need you."

Henry opened his yoga mat carrier and Mat flew perfectly into its' cloth casing rolling itself up in the process. Henry exhaled nervously as he searched for his Hercules book. He took the book out and referenced a few passages thinking of the destination in mind. This was it. _Operation Golden Retriever_ was ready to go, he only needed to do one thing… Tell Cogsworth his destination. Henry pulled out the pocket-watch and called out to it, "Cogsworth, take me to Hercules."

He then tapped Cogsworth three times on the face and moved the minute hand a quarter-turn to the left and in a sparkly _poof!_ he was gone.


	38. Hercules

Henry blinked and he appeared in a new forest. He looked around him in search for Hercules, but he was nowhere in sight. A noise suddenly startled him from above and he looked up to discover a man riding a flying Pegasus. Hercules! Henry quickly emptied Mat out into the open and the yoga mat uncurled itself before him.

"Come on Mat! We've got to catch up to that Pegasus!"

Henry immediately hopped onto the floating mat and they took off like a bullet in the air. Mat and Henry dodged and swerved to avoid lingering branches from the trees as they made their way to the open clearing in the sky. Above the tree line, Henry could make out a tiny speck in the distance; Hercules and the flying horse.

"See that speck? I need to speak to that man!"

On Henry's command, Mat took off in a flash. The wind was whipping so quickly at his face that he regretted not packing a pair of goggles to protect his eyes. Mat flew Henry over to Hercules in almost no time at all. As Henry got closer, he noticed Hercules' wardrobe; various animal skins all with different shades of tan that covered the majority of his body, leaving only his muscular arms and legs exposed. His long straight hair flicked against his massive shoulders and his focused and chiseled face faced toward the abrasive winds undeterred by the clouds that whipped past. Hercules looked every bit the hero that Henry pictured in his mind from the book he read.

"Hercules!" shouted Henry from Mat towards the iconic figure.

Hercules glimpsed over at Henry then did a double-take. His piercing sky-blue eyes stared at Henry as he shouted back, "What the… Who are you? What are you doing up here kid?!"

"I'm not a kid. I'm a teenager! I came searching for you so that I could talk to you!"

Hercules hesitated on the idea of talking to this stranger riding a strange contraption, but curiosity got the best of him. Questions flooded Hercules' mind, like how was he able to find him? And how is he able to fly? Could he perhaps be a deity of some sort? And if so, could he have a message from his father, Zeus? So Hercules gestured to Henry to wait a moment and that he was looking on the ground for a safe place to land. After a few minutes, Hercules spotted a safe clearing and both he and Henry landed softly onto an open grass field.

"So… you know who I am, but I didn't catch your name," said Hercules giving this unique young man his undivided attention. "What's your name, so that I don't have to keep calling you 'kid' all the time."

"You know what's funny?" said Henry walking a bit closer to Hercules, "My mom still calls me _kid_ too sometimes, so I'm actually kind of used to it. The name is Henry."

Henry extended a friendly hand to Hercules, which Hercules took and shook gently.

"Henry, huh? What kind of god are you? Are you related to Aeolus in any way? Because most people don't approach me from the air unless they're a god of some sort," Hercules asked as he petted his Pegasus who was grazing in the field as they walked.

"No, I'm not a god," corrected Henry as he commanded Mat to return to its cloth casing.

"If you're not a god, then how did you get that?" Hercules said pointing at Mat.

"It's my mother's yoga mat. I enchanted it so that I can visit you and ask you questions."

"You have magic?" said Hercules unbelievably.

"You know, you sure do ask a lot of questions for a guy who's in such a rush."

"Well, you interrupted my flight to Thebes and I was making good time too. I think for that interruption I deserve every right to question. Especially since every day I'm getting closer and closer to achieving my dream. You see, I'm on a quest to—"

"-achieve god-like status by seeking out opportunities for heroism. Am I right?"

Henry caught the hero off guard and Hercules found himself fumbling at his words, "Well… yes… How…? Can you read into the future as well?"

Henry shook his head 'no', "It's all in this book I have."

"I'm in a book?"

"Yeah. You're actually quite famous where I come from."

"And where might that be?"

"Storybrooke."

"Storybrooke," repeated Hercules. He racked his brain trying to remember ever hearing the name of before. He gave up, "I've never heard of it. Is it in Greece?"

"No, it's uh… nowhere near Greece."

"Alright, Henry the Teenager, let me see if I understand everything… you're not a god and you hail from a place called _Storybrooke_. You're a magician that wields powerful magic, enough to conjure flight via that magic cloth… thingy. You also claim that I'm in this book. You do realize that I don't possess any magic like you, right? I'm only really good at the heavy lifting and that sort of thing. So Henry, unless there's a boulder you want me to lift, how can I possibly help you?"

"In my book, you defeat Hades thwarting his mission to overtake Olympus. Hades… he's like your uncle, right?"

"_Hades_? God of death? King of the Underworld? I… suppose he's my uncle, though I don't really view him that way."

"It's ok. My grandfather's supposedly this _evil_ grand sorcerer, but he's really just misunderstood. I guess there's one in every family."

"I'm afraid my family is a bit different than yours," Hercules contradicted and his face twisted with confusion, "I… haven't defeated him in anything… yet. In fact, I don't recall ever meeting him or having issues with him before."

"Oh, I guess that hadn't happened in your story yet," said Henry, realizing that his interaction with Hercules may actually be affecting how his story unfolds. "I… was kind of hoping you would give me pointers on how to handle… uh, negotiations with Hades."

"If what you say is true, about him taking over Olympus, then Hades sounds sinister and dangerous. Why, of all the gods, would you want to meet_ him_?"

Henry stopped walking and looked sadly at his feet on the ground. When he looked up, he explained, "My father… was a hero. He died saving me and my entire family from an evil witch that brought mayhem to my home. I… miss him. A lot. Everyday. I was hoping to speak to Hades about bringing my father back."

"Henry," Hercules said trying to empathize with Henry, "In my experience living amongst mortals I've discovered that death, as awful and painful it can sometimes be, is essential to living. It makes living life meaningful and precious. Like, if this is our last shot at controlling our own fate, then we might as well make the most of it. I find that even with my own family has a hard time understanding that. And you would think that gods, who get their power from the faith of people, would want to get even closer to their faithful. I mean, my own father is Zeus, and all my life he's always felt so distant. I think my mortality prevents us from getting close."

"Is that why you want to become a god?"

"I just want to be reunited with my family again. I've never felt like I belonged here. I've always felt… alone."

"I can understand wanting to be with your family. I love mine very much. We're actually known for finding each other. Don't worry. You will be reunited with your family. I believe it."

Hercules smiled amicably at Henry. Because of Henry, Hercules felt rejuvenated in his pursuit of becoming a hero. At first he couldn't put his finger on why he felt so inspired, but then he recognized it; hope. Hope in that he would one day be reunited with his family again. If this young stranger could believe it possible, then so could he. Hercules looked down at Henry as they continued walking through the field, "Talk to me more about your father. In order to be a god I must first prove myself to be a hero in the eyes of my father. And since your father was a hero, I'm interested to hear more of his story; about who he was and what he's done."

"So, you don't mind that I tag along on your trip to Thebes?"

"Not at all. I love stories. Stories make legends! It'll pass the time while we get there."

… …

Hercules and Henry spent the weekend together. At night over a campfire, they talked about their families and exchanged stories on their adventures from back home. Henry learned from Hercules the art of hunting and preparing a meal over an open flame. Hercules questioned the extent of Henry's magical abilities, to which Henry was only too glad to demonstrate. They had just settled for lunch and Henry insisted on exhibiting his magical prowess by preparing a meal for them. Over the open flame, Henry conjured a pan filled with scrambled eggs.

"Is that all?" Hercules asked.

"What were you expecting, a buffet? I'm only an apprentice. Both my mother and grandfather are much better at this than I am. Though, I suppose they've been using it for years."

"I'm just joking. I'm really impressed. This is much easier and much more convenient than catching a fish for lunch."

Henry looked anxiously down at his pocket-watch. Today was Monday and he knew that he should be at school right now. He dreaded the inevitable conversation he would be having later with his mothers. Sure he went off to another world, but skipping school… he could only think of the kind of punishment that was waiting for him when he got home.

"Are we any closer to Thebes?" Henry asked.

"It's just over the hilltop there," said Hercules pointing to a giant hill visibly a couple of miles away. Hercules observed Henry nervously check his pocket-watch throughout lunch. The frequency made Hercules concerned for his new friend, "Is everything ok?"

"Yeah… uh, I just missed school."

"Is that mandatory where you're from?"

"Well, yeah."

"What happens if you don't show up?"

"My mom will kill me."

"Which one?" Hercules asked, remembering that Henry told him he had two mothers. One of the many things he and Henry had in common.

"Both of them."

"Eek. Sounds gruesome."

"Yeah, I should probably get going-" Henry started to say when suddenly a scream was heard in the distance, followed by a monstrous roar.

"You should go home," commanded Hercules, quickly standing to his feet, "I've got to go handle this."

Before Henry could protest, Hercules immediately hopped onto his Pegasus and bolted in the direction of the distress.

"Dang he's quick," Henry observed. He hurriedly pulled out Mat from its casing, "C'mon, let's go help Hercules."

Henry jumped onto Mat and they both followed quickly after Hercules. They rose above the trees and Henry strained to hear the location of the commotion. A few giant trees were seen being tossed into the air and Henry darted in that direction. When he got closer he was better able to see the monster causing chaos to the neighboring city.

Close to the city's fountain stood a 15-foot tall monster, with scales like a lizard and claws like a bird. The head of the beast was grisly, resembling that of an angler fish. Only this fish-headed monster had teeth sticking out at odd ends and drool that constantly dangled grossly from its mouth. It's T-Rex arms would be something to laugh at, if you could stare at them long enough without being seriously injured by the tail that whipped dangerously back and forth.

Hercules dodged the flippant tail and the creature became frustrated trying to catch the brave defender with it hideous mouth. The monster gave another angry howl as Hercules brandished his sword and cut the creature. Out of the corner of Hercules' eye, he spotted Henry approaching the action and shouted at him, "Henry! Get out of here! It's too dangerous!"

"No! I'm here to help!" called Henry back to Hercules.

Hercules hopped onto the ferocious beast and hung on fiercely as the creature struggled with the new threat on its back. As Henry got closer to Hercules, the scary creature turned quickly. Its' dangerous tail, whipped around rapidly, knocking Henry off of Mat and onto the ground. The force of the blow knocked the wind out of Henry and his book bag away from his body. Mat disappeared from the dangerous commotion and flew away, leaving Henry immobile to the ground. After catching his breath, Henry stood up in place and saw Hercules doing his best in attempting to strangle the mangy creature.

Henry thought quickly. He tried to think of any spell that could help him and Hercules out of this circumstance… The Vanishing Spell. In a blink of an eye, Henry disappeared from the ground and reappeared on Hercules back.

"Henry! What are you doing?!" shouted Hercules with alarm.

"Saving you!" exclaimed Henry. Henry pulled out Cogsworth and shouted to the device, "Cogsworth take us back to Storybrooke!"

With Henry's left arm around Hercules neck, Henry quickly tapped the watch using his right thumb turning the minute-hand a quarter turn to the left. In a giant magical cloud, Henry, Hercules and the monster disappeared. When they reappeared, they found themselves disoriented and in the middle of a paved road next to the sign that said, "_Welcome to Storybrooke"_.

As soon as they arrived at Storybrooke's entrance, Henry lost his grip on Hercules and was flung into the grass at the side of the road. The impact of his fall caused his whole body to ache. He felt light-headed. He felt… lighter. His book bag! He left it in Hercules' land. He needed his book bag because of the precious library books and the spells they carried. Henry pulled out Cogsworth again and called, "Cogsworth, take me to my book bag!"

In an instant, Henry left Hercules to fight the monster alone in Storybrooke. Henry only intended on leaving Hercules alone for just a moment, but he needed his books. He reappeared in front of his tossed book bag back in Hercules' land. He quickly gathered the items that were scattered across the ground when a cold deathly hand gripped Henry's arm causing him to drop his book bag again.

"I hear you're looking for me," said the tall creature dryly. Henry looked up to discover a ghastly 7-foot tall deity with blue flames for hair. "Come with me. Let's step into my office…"

Henry disappeared, entering the Underworld with the king himself… Hades.

* * *

**First of all, thank you all for your patience. The next leg of our journey I have a lot happening. So there was a lot of planning and story strategizing this past week and of course, real life. THANK YOU, thank you, thank you OUATgirl17, Montreat11, Grace5231973, Katelynberg, and BreathingintheSun for your reviews from the previous chapters! All of your reviews are brilliant and oh so encouraging. You guys definitely inspire me. So I didn't give up on the story! And I hope you didn't too. Thank you for having faith in me and this story.**

**Hercules, ok… So there are many different interpretations on the story of Hercules. But I figured, since OUAT is Disney influenced, that it only be appropriate to model this version of Hercules after the Disney version too. I'm crossing my fingers and hoping that I did a decent job capturing Hercules and eventually Hades in the chapters to come. Let me know what you think.**


	39. Monday

…_**3:23 p.m. in Storybrooke…**_

"That was the deal Swan! Henry is _your_ responsibility on the weekends. If it wasn't for the principal calling me earlier this afternoon about Henry's absence today, you would have never known he was gone," Regina accused Emma as they both walked over to Gold's pawnshop.

"Excuse me, but I have a text from _our_ son stating that he was staying with you this weekend. This isn't anyone's fault. Henry tricked us both," claimed Emma as she opened the door to the pawnshop. The bell rung violently as the two mothers entered the shop.

Gold came out from the back of his shop to greet the hostile mothers. Despite their oncoming aggression, he remained calm and collected as he said, "Swan… one day you're going to owe me a new bell." Upon seeing that none of the mothers were in the playful mood, he continued getting straight to the point, "To what do I owe the pleasure of being in this family meeting?"

"Henry," stated Regina, "He's missing."

"_Missing? _Now that doesn't sound like our Henry at all," Gold stated almost sarcastically. Henry's history of disappearing without parental consent was not an unknown fact. "What did you both say to prompt such an uninformed departure?"

"Cut the crap, Gold. We both know you have that globe-tracker-thingy. I can't locate him. I have tried tracking his cell phone through GPS, but his cell must either be turned off or missing. In either case, that's never a good sign."

Gold immediately walked toward the back of his shop and pulled out the globe-tracker. He brought the item back out to the front and sat it down on the display case in front of the worried mothers. He used it before to find Henry in Neverland and was confident that it would work again, but he wanted to use it as a last resort. The globe required blood magic. "You must be losing your touch in magic to be coming to me for help," Gold said jousting Regina.

"Believe me, I've exhausted every tracking spell you've ever taught me. This is the… last place…" Regina retorted, when she noticed a few items in Gold's shop that belonged to Henry. She noticed a boy's jacket, not kin to Gold's style of wardrobe, along with a couple of school books that had to belong to Henry as well. "How often has Henry been in your shop and why?"

Emma noticed Henry's items in the shop as well and asked, "What's he even doing in your shop to begin with?"

"Is it really so odd for a grandson to spend time with his grandfather? Oh, and uh," Gold chuckled to himself as he pricked his finger and a few droplets of blood fell onto the globe. He explained, "Learning magic… from me."

"What?!" exclaimed both Regina and Emma simultaneously.

"Henry can use magic?" Emma said disbelievingly.

"Are you really all that surprised?" Gold asked, waiting on the swirling bloodstains to finally take shape. "He's actually quite good. Better than you Miss Swan."

"Why are we hearing about this from you?" Regina asked with genuinely perplexed. "Why didn't he come to either one of us about this? I think we're both equally adept at using magic."

"I would beg to differ. He never came to you," Gold said pointing at Emma, "because… well, you don't really like magic and avoid it like it's the plague. And he _really_ wanted to avoid talking to you about it," he said pointing to Regina, "because magic has always complicated your relationship with him."

"You knew all along and you refused to help us?" Emma questioned, irritation ebbed at her words.

"I didn't refuse to help you, I refused to tell you," corrected Gold. He looked down at the globe and it gave inconclusive results. His face furrowed with confusion. He never had that kind of result come from the globe before. He looked back up at the mothers who were eyeing him suspiciously, watching his every move. "I made a deal with him. He promised to come to my shop every day after school so long as I was the one that trained him properly, in exchange I promised to not tell either of you about it. He usually shows up to my shop about this time after school, but since he didn't show… naturally the deal broke, which is why I'm telling you now."

"And what was the price of his learning magic from _you_?" Regina questioned.

"To teach my grandson magic? Priceless. I just enjoy the show you two ladies put on when trying to work together. It's always a learning experience, isn't it? Don't you just feel closer as a family already? I know I do."

"Just you wait, it'll be your turn all over again," Regina said implying his child with Belle.

"Oh, I'm looking forward to it," he replied gleefully as he reached for his cane. The cane hung just within arm's reach and he brought it down from where it hung against the counter and held onto it dearly. "So now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go find my grandson."

Just then, a low rumble shook the ground followed by a disturbing roar that got closer and closer to Main Street.

"_Really?_ What now?" Emma said sarcastically. Screams and shouts could be heard in the distance which caused both Emma and Regina to turn around and look outside the pawn shop.

"What the hell is that?" said Regina as she stepped outside the store to look into the distance.

"What do you suppose…" Emma said turning to talk to Gold, but quickly noticed his absence. "Great."

… …

"Don't dawdle now, it's rude. Sure it's a bit drafty, but I'm working on getting new living arrangements," said Hades to Henry as they continued walking through the Underworld caves. A giant glowing green river filled with souls flowed parallel to the narrow path they were walking on. The dark deity continued down the designated path gabbing quickly and exposing his ferocious teeth, "Yeah, watch your step. I wouldn't fall into that. The Living aren't meant to dip in the Styx river, otherwise you might face an early death. Now where was I? Oh yes! Relocation, yes, I'm thinking somewhere higher, like a mountain. But enough about me, I wanted to thank you. You removed Hercules from this world. You didn't kill him like I kind of hoped, but hey… who's perfect? As a reward, I want to give you a gift."

"I don't want anything from you."

"C'mon, c'mon… there's gotta be something you want. It's a capitalist society, of course you want something. Everyone wants something!" Hades plopped on his throne and continued staring at the strange newcomer curiously, "Well would you look at that shmancy wardrobe. You must not be from around here. What brings you around this here parts?"

Henry refused to respond.

"Don't be shy. I've been watching you for some time and I've noticed you've got some interesting talents. What could Wonderbreath offer that you don't already possess? Hmm," Hades wondered. He speculated some more and found it even more curious that Henry arrived to this world unaccompanied. "You're really brave for coming down here, shorty. Aren't you a bit young to be flying solo, though? Where are your parents?"

"My moms are safe."

"Moms? That was plural, right? Or do mine ears deceive me? Hold on, lemme just…," Hades said removing a piece of brimstone from his ear. "Do you not have a father?"

"He died."

"Ah… ," Hades said. A deal was formulating in his mind, "And Herc-man never mentioned any weaknesses? Bad back… Achilles' heel… what? What?"

"Hercules doesn't have any weaknesses and I don't want anything from you."

"Yeah… you see, that doesn't work for me. He's kind of a huge problem for me because the Fates… well, they still haven't wavered in their prophecy, despite your glorified efforts of removing him from this world. He's still going to ruin my plans which," Hades exhaled a quick anxious breath, "I've been tediously working on for a millennia. And I've come too far to have it all fall apart because of some noble brat. So," Hades stood up from his throne and approached Henry like any confident business man would. He strode over to Henry making sudden movements, speaking quickly, "do me a solid, will ya? And I'll do you one. You rub my back and I'll rub yours. You help me discover Hercules' weakness and I'll revive the thing you desire most. C'mon, whaddya say? Deal?"

Hades threw his hand toward Henry to shake on a deal when they were suddenly interrupted.

"No deal," said Rumplestiltskin on Henry's behalf, popping from out of nowhere. "I know deals, and this… is a poorly constructed one. Come Henry, let's leave."

Rumplestiltskin quickly came over to Henry and brought him close to protect him, cane still in hand.

Hades heaved a heavy sigh of exasperation, "Well now, _who are you_? I mean seriously, this is ridiculous. What's the point of having a guard dog with three heads, if people are simply going to waltz in here all willy-nilly and show up unexpectedly? I should really just get a new dog. CERBERUS! I'm going to turn you into DOG MEAT!"

Hades beckoned the tri-headed canine forward. The beast came in with heavy thundering feet and its weight rumbled the ground that Rumple and Henry stood on. Henry lost balance from the tremors and was starting to the fall into the river of souls. Rumple dropped his cane to better grip Henry and saved him from the fatal fall into the ghastly river. The cane Rumple used to find Henry was tossed into the path of Cerberus who arrived aggressively toward their location. The beast was so enormous and oblivious that it didn't even flinch as it callously crushed the cane that was in its path, severing the traveling device into a dozen pieces.

Rumple held Henry safe in his arms and looked at his cane with devastation. How were they going to go home now?

"Leaving so soon? Well, before you go, I'm sending you with a parting gift. Call it, a sample of the real thing. If you find what I need to destroy Hercules by tomorrow evening, you'll officially have what you desire back in your life for good. It'll be like he never left."

"Henry what is he talking about?"

"You'll see…" said the evil god mischievously.

Rumple thought frantically on their escape and used the last resort item he told his wife about, what felt like ages ago. Rumple stood behind Henry with arms wrapped securely around him. He took his wedding band and removed it, flipping it around and placing it on backwards. In an instant, Rumplestiltskin and Henry disappeared from the dreadful Underworld and returned home in Storybrooke.

* * *

**OUATgirl17, Katelynberg, BreathingintheSun, Grace5231973 and Montreat11. Thanks for your reviews guys! I may not respond back right away, but I do eventually. So again, thank you for your patience. I absolutely love the dialogue and discussions we have. You all are just brilliant. Smart cookies, the lot of ya. Mwa!**

**So what did you think about Hades? The Rumple/Regina/Emma interaction? Tell me your thoughts. Drop a line. See you next chapter. :)**


	40. Ice and Brawn

"I'm going to go off and find Belle," said Regina as she and Emma ran toward the sound of danger, "Perhaps she'll give us more answers as to Henry's whereabouts, maybe even Gold's."

"I'm going to go investigate this new threat," acknowledged Emma.

Regina ran towards her parked car and Emma ran down to the end of the street toward the city's edge to confront whatever it was that was threatening their town. People were running for the lives away from the danger, but Emma like a trout swimming upstream and was running toward it. She dodged a few locals and as she rounded the corner of a convenient store she saw a man riding a ferocious beast. Emma's cell phone began ringing non-stop, but she ignored it for the time being. They were probably from Killian and her father.

With every rumble, the ground quaked. The fight was getting closer and closer to the town and citizens began escaping their shops to avoid the impending collision of both monster and building. Out of the corner of her eye, Emma saw Elsa come from out of nowhere and bravely approach the scene.

"Elsa!" shouted Emma.

"Emma! How can I help?" replied Elsa. Emma was surprised by Elsa's bravery, but was more relieved to see that she wasn't dealing with this situation alone.

"We need to set up a barrier to protect the shops. The damages of this fight alone could leave this town devastated," pointed out Emma.

"I'll put up the wall. You go take care of that monster!" Elsa directed. Emma nodded and stepped behind Elsa. Elsa turned to face the town and lifted her hands. Suddenly, a thick ice wall sprung up from the ground, blocking the monster from stepping any further into town and preventing any locals from coming forward to brave the monster themselves.

Emma saw the monster toss and turn, trying to shake the brave man from off of its body. The tail whipped dangerously back and forth. She cautiously stepped closer to the creature. She realized that she needed to immobilize the beast, but she wanted to make sure that the man piggy-backing was safe and away from it first.

"Hey! You! Get down from there! I'm going to try stunning the monster but I need you to step away so that I don't hit you or you don't get hurt!"

The foreigner riding the monster didn't seem to hear Emma as the creature continued thrashing. The monster pivoted suddenly at its feet, turning its body along with its whipping tail toward Emma. Before she knew it, Emma was slammed to the ground protected by a mysterious hooded stranger. Emma looked up to try and get a good look at her hero's face, but the hero took the fatal blow in her place and was thrown into the ice wall. Emma remained on the ground, dizzy by the sudden impact.

Elsa turned around to face the monster and shouted to the man on top of the creature, "I'd get down if I were you!"

Elsa pointed her hands at the monster's feet and froze them in place. She immediately threw ice at the creature's dangerous tail and froze it mid-motion. Hercules, seeing what Elsa was doing, immediately hopped off from the monster. He watched as Elsa froze the rest of the monster. When Elsa finished and withdrew her power, the monster had become a large and elaborate ice statue.

"There," Elsa said with a smile, finally satisfied that her powers were useful. With new confidence she beamed at the statue until she noticed the muscular man gawking awkwardly at her. "I'm Elsa and… _you are_...?" Elsa asked with a raised eyebrow.

Hercules was entranced by Elsa's beauty and immediately snapped back to reality. He coughed to break up the awkward tension he suddenly found himself in and introduced himself, "Hercules… my name is Hercules."

Hercules extended his hand forward to shake and Elsa obliged, but instead of a hand shake, Hercules immediately drew the top of her hand to his mouth and kissed it. He found himself staring again. Hercules continued stumbling with his words, "I'll… uh,… just… um… I'll finish up with that." He gestured with his thumb toward the monstrous statue and backed away from Elsa to face it again.

Elsa turned and saw Emma on the ground and rushed forward. "Emma! Emma, are you alright?" Emma's head bore a reddened scuff mark from the sudden impact to the ground. Emma moaned as Elsa helped her slowly to her feet. As Emma stood there, she felt every joint in her body ache.

"Yeah," Emma acknowledged in a daze, "but I don't think I can say the same for my hero…"

Emma turned to where she last saw her hooded-hero and discovered the person gone. Hercules bawled up his fist and punched the ice statue, shattering it into a million pieces. When the statue fell to the ground, Emma could see her mysterious hooded hero running off into the woods in the distance.

"Stay here with Muscles. I'm gonna go after that… person," commanded Emma to Elsa and as quickly as she could, Emma ran after the mysterious person.

"So… Elsa," said Hercules, nervously kicking a piece of large ice away from his walking path to her, "you're like… magical?"

"Yes. Well, sort of. I uh, I inherited my powers. Supposedly I'm descendents of Danish gods."

"_Really_? Me too!" Hercules noted excitedly. "Both of my parents, Zeus and Hera are Greek gods."

"Well, I can't trace my family that far. I'm not much of a god or demi-god, or… whatever it is that I am. But I do know that snow and ice seem to be the only extent of my powers."

"My power is… well… my strength, I guess?" Hercules laughed nervously to himself.

"Really," said Elsa sarcastically looking at the smashed monster ice statue, "I wouldn't have guessed."

There was something about Elsa that he liked and it was stirring feelings in his heart that he had never felt before. "I always thought that I was the only one," he claimed.

"I suppose that makes two of us," said Elsa, smiling at Hercules as she placed a friendly hand on his robust arm. She continued, "But here in Storybrooke, there are others like us, well… maybe not descendents of gods like us, but people who possess different magic. For a while we've all been living quite peacefully until you guys showed up. How did you and your monstrous companion arrive here to begin with?"

"I live in Greece. I was en route to Thebes when a young man named Henry, stopped me. We kept each other company all weekend. He got to talk to me about Storybrooke. Told me about this special watch he had. What was it called...?" Hercules snapped his fingers and the answer came to him, "Cogsworth! That's how Henry, the monster and I arriv…" Hercules looked around him, "Speaking of which, have you seen a young man about," Hercules said demonstrating Henry's approximate height with his hand, "yay-high?"

"His mothers were here, but I think they're already out there looking find him. Henry's mothers are two of the more powerful beings that possess magic here in Storybrooke. They actually help run this town. One's the sheriff and the other's the mayor."

"Now I can see why Henry was so nervous earlier," Hercules mumbled to himself.

"Pardon me?" Elsa said looking clearly confused.

"Uh… nothing important." Hercules was shuffling his feet nervously and began scratching his head as he mentioned, "Hey, so uh… I don't know this town very well. I would like to try and help find Henry, but I wouldn't even know where to begin."

Elsa smiled, thinking of the debt she still owed Belle from a long time ago, "You know, a good friend of mine said that this day would come. It would be an honor for me to show you around Storybrooke. Perhaps, we can get to know each other a bit more?"

"I would love that! Sounds like a great idea."

* * *

**Hi guys! Another short chapter. What do you think about Hercules and Elsa pairing? Interested to read your thoughts.**

**About to post another one soon. See you next chapter!**


	41. The Return

Belle was making tea when Rumplestiltskin, who was still holding Henry, suddenly appeared right next to her in the kitchen of their home. Belle jumped away out of fright, startled by their sudden appearance, and clutched her fast beating heart.

"Rumple!" shouted Belle in alarm.

"I'm so sorry Belle. Henry… was in a very unpleasant place and needed to get picked up."

"Where were you two?" questioned Belle. Rumple released Henry from his bear-tight hug and Henry immediately proceeded to exit the house.

"Henry, where are you going?" asked Rumplestiltskin following after Henry.

"I'm going to go help Hercules. I left him to fight off that monster by himself," justified Henry.

"Stop! Stop," said Rumple racing to place himself between Henry and the front door. "Slow down. Nobody is fighting any monster. We're all going to stay safe here. I'm pretty sure one or both of your mothers are already taking care of the situation as we speak."

Just then a knock came from the front door.

"Now who on Earth could that be?" said Rumple. He turned and opened the door and discovered Regina waiting anxiously. "Regina," Rumple said with surprise. "I guess this one belongs to you," he said turning his body to Henry.

Rumple stepped further back, granting passage for Regina inside his home and she ran directly for Henry giving him a hug. "Henry!" Regina exclaimed, "Where have you been?"

Belle approached the reunion and added, "I was wondering the very same thing."

"I'm sorry," Henry said guiltily, "_Operation Golden Retriever_ was a complete disaster."

"Honey, what are you talking about?" his mother asked, pulling away from her embrace.

"This is all my fault. I brought that monster into town. I should have never gone off."

"Where did you go? And why didn't you tell me you could do magic?"

"I borrowed a few books from the library. In one of the book's I borrowed, the story contained spells. Spells that… I thought… I could try out… for pretend. Only, when I used one of the spells, it actually worked."

"You know, I did think it was odd for a person to check out the same book for eight months. But now that we know why, I suppose that makes sense," deduced Belle.

"The other book," Henry continued, "was about the story of Hercules. His story spoke of heroism so I _had_ to check it out. In it, he battles a god, Hades. Hades is king of the Underworld. In the end of the book Hercules defeats Hades by becoming a god himself. And since he had already dealt with him before in the book I wanted to know more about Hades before talking with him."

"And why did you want to talk to Hades, Henry?" Rumple asked.

Henry hesitated before responding, "I… I wanted to bring my father back."

"Neal?" Belle asked in disbelief. "How were you even able to get there? There aren't any magical beans left in this world."

"In the first book, _Bedknobs and Broomsticks_, there's a Traveling Spell. In the story, the witch enchants a bedknob to travel around. I enchanted an old pocket-watch."

"Henry, why did you want to bring back your father?" Regina asked still confused.

"_Why?_ Because I love him! I love my family. I told you that before. I thought you would understand! All of you!" Henry exclaimed, frustrated and insulted that his family wasn't understanding him.

"Henry, dealing with the dead is magic beyond even my powers and comprehension," Rumple stated.

"Henry I do understand!" Regina said contradicting her upset son. "I had tried to bring back my Daniel but… he wasn't the same afterwards. Remember?"

"None of you understand. I… I can't be here right now," Henry said shrugging off his mother's hands that were on his arms. Henry bolted for the front door and started running towards the woods.

"Henry!" called Regina after her son. She ran after Henry outside the Gold residence, skipping a few porch steps as she stepped out into the neighborhood street. "Henry, come back here this instant!"

Henry turned to face his mother from a distance and said back to her, "I need time to think, mom. I… I need some space."

And in a blink of an eye, Henry vanished.

"Great," Regina said flustered. She turned to see Gold and Belle observing her from their front porch. "I'm assuming you taught him how to vanish into thin air too?" she said, directing her comment at Gold.

"Where are you going?" asked Belle, noticing Regina walking toward her car.

"Henry was heading towards the woods. If there's anybody that knows these woods, it's Robin. Perhaps he can help me find Henry," Regina reasoned out loud.

"It's a fool's errand, Regina. He'll come around. Do what he asks, give the boy some time," suggested Rumplestiltskin.

"So now you're giving me parenting advice? This, coming from the man, who taught my teenage son how to vanish into thin air and travel to different realms. What's to stop him from going back to the Enchanted Forest and bringing back ogres?"

Regina slammed her car door shut and peeled out of their driveway. Belle looked over at her husband in annoyed silence. Rumple turned and found her staring at him angrily.

"What?" he asked defensively.

"Henry went to Hercules' world through a pocket-watch, but that doesn't explain how _you_ were able to get to him out from that world."

"I used our enchanted rings and that's how we came hom-"

"No! Where have you been going? I knew it wasn't just me. I've felt it in my heart. You've found Henry's Traveling Spell too, haven't you?"

Rumple opened his mouth and attempted to explain himself, but before he was even able to speak Belle had cut him off, "Rumplestiltskin, so help me, I'm pregnant and hormonal so you would be wise to not lie to me right now."

"I'm not-" he began to say as he looked up at his wife glaring irritably at him. "Alright! Alright. Yes, I found Henry's traveling spell. And yes, I've been traveling to different worlds. I enchanted my walking cane and for the past seven months or so I've been… going to the Enchanted Forest."

"You were going back to our land… _our home_? What were you doing there? Why didn't you say anything to me about it?"

"Belle…" Rumple wavered in his truthful explanation. "Can we at least go inside and finish this conversation?"

Belle consented to his request and he followed after his wife through the front door of their house. When he shut the door he continued explaining, "Belle, I've been going back to the Enchanted forest to gather magic… totems, relics, collecting past debts that were due to me. I suppose you can say that I've been traveling on business trips."

"Yes, but why didn't you let me know. I would have loved to have come back home with you."

"Belle, I've been using magic."

"That's never stopped you before."

"Dangerous… magic. Look, the point is, I'm… addicted to it."

"You were able to survive twenty-eight years without it and then four years ago you brought magic back into Storybrooke. Why did you have to leave Storybrooke to practice this dark magic?"

"I survived twenty-eight years because I was cursed and I left Storybrooke because I didn't want what I was doing to endanger you or our child. I didn't want you to find out how dependent I actually am on it. I never told you because... magic prevented me from having a relationship with my own son. I don't want the same thing to happen to our family."

"Ok, but why do you _still_ need it?"

"I need it because magic has been part of me for so long… I don't know how to live without it. Without magic, I'm weak. Weak like the powerless cripple I once was. Belle," he walked to the living room and sat on the edge of the couch. She followed him to the couch and watched as he stared at the floor with open hands. He could barely look at his wife in the face as he continued, "my constant fear is not being the man you see me to be. I'm afraid of the day when I can't protect you and our child."

Before Belle could say something to ease his fears and anxieties, Belle's cell phone suddenly chirped in another room. She walked away from Rumple to check her phone. It was a text from Emma.

… …

The hooded figure ran haphazardly through the forest, stumbling over rocks and fallen limbs. Emma was slowly catching up to her rescuer, constantly keeping the person within eyesight. The hooded person dodged to avoid a tree when Henry magically appeared suddenly before the runner. The runner collided with Henry and they both fell over each other to the ground completely stunned.

Henry was immediately pummeled to the ground and had the wind knocked out of him. He was so dazed that he took a few extra moments to lie on his back while on the ground to catch his breath again. Emma ran over to the two fallen individuals, recognizing one of them, "Henry?! Where have you been?"

Henry came to, sitting up in place, a bit dazed and confused and looked over at the person who ran into him. The mysterious hooded man began to groan as he lifted himself up from the forest ground. The person stood tall and lifted his hood, finally revealing himself.

"Neal?" cried Emma in disbelief.

"Dad?"

"Emma? Henry?" Neal said with a glazed confused look over his face, "_What's going on?!_ Where am I? How am I alive? How did I get here?"

"No! No. You're dead. We buried you," Emma said, shocked and confused. Tears were welling up in her eyes, frightened by the ghost she was seeing, "You're father and I watched you die in my arms."

"My _father_? Where is he? Do you think he had something to deal with this?"

"He had nothing to do with it. It was me," Henry voiced. Both of his parents stood dumbfounded staring at their son.

"Henry, I'm not meant to be here. What did you do?" Neal said kneeling before his son. Emma stood away from father and son as she clutched her face in shock.

"I traveled to Hercules' world."

"You can travel to different worlds now?" Neal asked looking back and forth between Henry and Emma.

"Believe me, this is news to me as well," Emma stated still shocked.

"How?" asked Henry's father. He held on dearly to both of Henry's arms, his eyes pleading for answers.

"I'm… magical Dad. I can read books with spells from this world and they all work for me," Henry paused looking at his parents together, upset and bewildered. "In one of the books I found at the library, there was a traveling spell. I used it to go to Hercules' world so that I could get pointers on how to deal with Hades."

"Oh… no, Henry. Please tell me you didn't," Neal said disappointedly, wiping the dry corners of his mouth.

"What?! What does that mean?" Emma implored.

Neal raked his fingers stressfully through his hair as he did his best to explain to Emma, "Hades is a Greek god. He's lord of the Underworld and monitors the trafficking of souls. He deals with the dead."

"Henry…" said Emma disappointedly.

Neal looked back up at his son with desperate concern. A thought occurred to him, "If I'm here, there had to be a cost. There's always a steep price when bartering for lives. I know this from personal experience. Henry, what did you trade with Hades for my life?"

"I didn't… well… he wanted me to find out Hercules' weakness and that if don't find it by tomorrow you'll disappear forever. It's because he knows I have magic."

"We need to talk to my father," Neal decided, "My only knowledge on gods is based off of a few movies I rented while in New York. I'm sure he'll know more. He'll know what to do. Where is he?"

"He's with Belle they're… nesting."

Neal turned to look at Emma still confused, "What?"

"They're expecting."

"A baby? Woah. I mean, wow," Neal replied with a grin which was slowly forming on his face. He genuinely felt happy for his father, "a little brother or sister… cool."

"Sister," corrected Henry, "A lot has happened while you were gone."

Neal continued smiling as he ruffled Henry's hair, "Obviously. And you… have certainly grown a few inches while I was gone and your voice… My god, you're growing up so fast," Neal said with a pang of sadness, "and no longer the little boy I once knew, as things should be." Neal looked at his son and reflected sadly. As much as he wanted to cherish these moments, he knew somewhere deep down that they wouldn't last. "Emma… you should probably call-"

"Yeah… I just got done texting Belle. We should head on over now."

* * *

**Thank you BreathingintheSun, OUATgirl17, Montreat11 and Katelynberg for your reviews! Hopefully as I post these chapters, a lot of your questions will be answered. As I mentioned before, a lot is happening in different areas of Storybrooke and I'm doing my best to explain everything chronologically. ::crossing fingers:: Hopefully it's coming across clearly and makes sense on your end as you read it. As to what Rumple was doing exactly in the Enchanted Forest, I'm leaving it open to interpretation. Mostly, so that when I'm done with this story I can fill the gaps later with fluff chapters. Don't worry, I'll put on my Thinking Cap for that and think of something good to write there. But for now, I'm moving on with the story. Getting this story completed is my goal. Thank you again for reading and writing reviews! You all are the best. Seriously. Lots of love. See you next chapter!  
**


	42. Family Reunion

"So correct me if I misunderstood something… There's a monster in Storybrooke, Henry can wield magic, he found a spell to travel between worlds, brought back a monster, the monster was created by a deity named Hades, Rumplestiltskin found Henry and brought him back here to Storybrooke, you had him and then he disappeared on you?" Robin said perplexed as he rehashed Regina's situation to him.

"He vanished. No thanks to his grandfather who taught him how. I saw him run off into the woods before he used a vanishing spell to avoid me. But he can't have gone far. Novices of magic don't typically manage long distance travel unless they've been practicing it for years," reasoned Regina.

Robin and Regina were walking through the woods together searching for Henry. Regina continued, "I'm asking you for help, because I trust you and you know these woods better than any other person I know."

"I would be honored to help find your son. After all, you did help save mine some time ago," smiled Robin to Regina remembering a moment when she protected Roland from a flying monkey.

Regina's phone started ringing in her pocket.

"Hold on," said Regina reaching into her pocket for the phone. She looked at it, "It's Emma," Regina said answering the call, "What happened?"

"_The Monster we saw earlier was frozen and taken care of by Elsa. She befriended a man named Hercules who came with the monster and helped take it down. Henry's safe. He's right here with me… along with his father."_

"Woah, woah. Hold on. His father, _Neal?_ I'm sorry, did you just imply that Neal is somehow back from the dead?"

"_Yeah, long story… Henry seems to think he made to deal with Hades."_

"How do you know that the person posing as Henry's father isn't Hades himself?"

"_I saw Neal's face as he spoke to me. He's not lying. It's him."_

"Well, I hope you're right. Do I need to come over to pick Henry up or do you…?"

"_No, we uh… are heading over to Gold's house to sort through all this mess. I think of all people that could help us out, it should be Neal's father."_

"Alright. Keep me informed if there are any further developments," Regina said as she hung up the phone ending the call.

"Did I just overhear you say that Neal is alive?" Robin questioned.

"I'll explain later. Let's head back to my car and go to a bar. You still owe me a drink and I could really use one right about now."

… …

"_Monster is gone. Town is fine. I am fine. Henry is home, safe and here beside me. Going to chat with Mr. Gold to sort things out. Will call you soon," _texted Emma as her thumb hovered over the 'SEND' button on her cell phone.

She meticulously read her text over and over, avoiding words that would incite fear or any additional anxiety that she was sure her loved ones were already feeling. She read the text again, filtering to make sure the message didn't mention Neal. To mention his name would provoke curiosity and she did not want to bring any more people than necessary into their current situation. She wasn't sure how this whole situation was going to play out and didn't want to bring people's hopes up if things turned out for the worse. The last thing she wanted was to have a giant family reunion making things more complicated than they already were. She took a deep breath and finally clicked 'SEND'.

By the time she had finished her text, she, Neal and Henry were already out of the woods and were walking onto Storybrooke's Main Street towards her car. As they got closer to her yellow Volkswagen Bug, Emma couldn't help but eye Neal suspiciously. Neal caught her staring and questioned, "What is it?"

Emma, upon being caught, immediately diverted her eyes and focused on the path she was walking on. "Nothing, I'm just finding it very difficult to believe that you are standing here right now."

"Not just standing, apparently I'm walking too," he said grinning jovially. Emma smirked, but only briefly. She wasn't entirely sure what to make of the situation they were currently in. "Can I drive?" he asked.

"You know, you make jokes, but I don't think you understand how serious and _not funny_ this… situation actually is," Emma replied non-amused.

"I will admit. I do feel a bit funny and… I dunno, disoriented? Off-kilter? Like, everything is here, but something's missing, you know? It's hard put my finger on what it is exactly. But hey, we'll talk about it later. For now, let's just make the most of the time we've got. It'd be a damn shame if I didn't smile at least once today. Besides, if I only have one day to live, I can't think of a better person to spend it with."

His sweet comment didn't make Emma feel any less pitiful or sad. It only made her more scared; scared of hurting like she did when she first mourned him. As much as she wanted to get close to Neal, she felt this overwhelming need to protect to herself from the hurt she knew was coming. It felt inevitable. Her trail of thoughts gave her pause and she found herself not moving.

"Emma…" Neal said, interrupting Emma's thoughts. They were at the car and both Emma and Neal stopped walking to face each other.

"Huh?"

"I can see it on your face. You're protecting yourself… from me."

"Here," Emma said avoiding his astute observation by thrusting the car keys into his hands, "Just… drive."

"I can give you the directions," chirped Henry happily as he opened the car door and climbed into the back seat.

Neal drove while Emma sat in the passenger seat in silence. Henry sat in the back seat giving Neal directions. They turned left and then right a few times until finally they made it to the street of the Gold residence. Gold and Belle could see the yellow bug coming down their street and waited eagerly for them out on the front porch to greet the visitor. As Neal continued driving down the street he couldn't help but notice how his father's large Victorian House dwarfed the neighboring houses. He looked up at the large estate and noted softly to himself, "You know, it doesn't surprise me that even in this land my father _would_ be living in the largest house on the block."

"Well, your father did always have expensive taste," Emma said looking at the foreboding house. They both looked at Gold's intimidating Victorian house with apprehension. Between Emma's and Neal's experiences in migrant poverty, they both could relate in how foreign and unaccustomed they were to seeing such a lavish sight.

"He didn't always," Neal pointed out as he parked the bug on the edge of the property. The family got out of the car and proceeded toward the steps of the home. Having been there a few times before, Henry walked confidently up the stairs and greeted Belle on the porch. Emma walked hesitantly forward toward Gold who was quickly approaching Neal. She stopped when she saw that Gold had gestured Neal to stop moving forward.

"Forgive me for being unconvinced. When Belle told me what Emma said about you in her text… I had to see this one for myself," Gold said putting his hand down. His faced was unmoved and remained skeptical, "Please understand, I have to protect my family. I have to be sure you are who you say you are. So I'm going to ask you a few questions that only my son will know. If you lie, I _will_ find out and we will have problems."

"I understand," Neal said compliantly.

"Good. What's your name?"

"Neal Cassidy."

"Your _birth_ name?"

"Baelfire."

"How old were you when you were drafted in the Troll Wars?" Gold asked, his eyes focused on Neal's face for any hint of lying.

"I was fourteen… and it wasn't the Troll Wars it was the Ogre Wars," corrected Neal as he listened to his father's questions carefully. He always knew of his father's aptitude for words, so it didn't surprise him that trick questions would be part of the interrogation.

Gold nodded as he quickly thought of the next question, "When you were in Neverland, what did you dream of every night?"

"I dreamt of you holding my hand over that pit and then letting me go."

"And why did I let you go?"

"Because you chose the power of the dagger over me, and ever since then you never stopped looking for me."

When Gold heard Neal's answer he fought hard to hold back the tears. He thought of how unsuccessful the reunion in New York was, which made him think of the last question. Gold's lip trembled, "And what, would you say, is worse than living with regret?"

"Abandonment."

"Bae," Gold said as a tear escaped from his eye, happy to see his son again.

"Papa," said Neal and they both came close and embraced each other.

"I'm sorry I had to ask you those questions, son. I had to know for sure."

"It's alright, Papa. I understand. I love you."

"I love you too, son. I always have."

They pulled apart from each other and he led his resurrected son up the stairs and into his home. Everyone followed suit and entered the Gold residence. Neal came up to Belle and hugged her before entering the house. "Congratulations," Neal said hugging Belle with a genuine and heartfelt smile.

"Welcome back," she said welcoming him and everyone else into their home.

Emma walked hesitantly into the house. The last time she entered the house was three years ago based off of a call from work for burglary. She felt it strange to be coming back to this place under different circumstances. Emma followed Gold into the living room. She waited for Neal to enter the same room and didn't sit down until she saw him sit first. Henry conveniently walked over to the same chair he sat in just months earlier and brought it closer to where his parents sat on the couch. Belle leaned against the door way frame and observed while Gold planted himself in front of the unlit fireplace.

"So what now?" Henry asked curiously, looking around the room at his quiet family. Everyone looked so stunned to be in the same room together that they found themselves speechless.

"Henry," Gold wondered, unsure how to broach the subject, "Hades was trying to make a deal with you. I didn't hear the whole conversation. What exactly did he say and what were the terms of that deal? "

"He was trying to find out Hercules' weakness. And just so we're clear," Henry said, raising his hands as if showing he had nothing to hide, "I never agreed to a deal! He claimed that reviving Dad was a gift to me for taking Hercules away from his world, but he did say that it was only temporary. He said that if I could tell him what Hercules weakness was by tomorrow that he would make dad's revival permanent."

"So, does Hercules have any weaknesses?" his grandfather asked.

Henry shook his head, 'no'. "…Not that I know of. He's a hero from his world, born of deities Zeus and Hera. According to the book, he only became mortal because of the potion Hades fed him as a newborn. He didn't drink every last drop, which is how he still has his god-like strength."

Belle turned to Gold, "Do you know anything about the kind of magic gods wield?"

"I know… that their brand of magic comes from a unique power source and is, therefore, different than my own; their magic comes from believers," Gold said pondering on the thought for a few moments. Gold believed that there had to be a way to keep his son, so he decided determinedly, "I need to go downstairs to my books and do more research. I'm going to check my notes and see if there's a way to prolong your life."

"Papa…" Neal said stopping his father from walking away to his research. "There's something not right about my being here. My sacrifice… for your life… my being here feels all wrong. I've felt it when Emma and Henry found me in the forest."

"What are you saying, Bae?"

"I'm saying that I don't think I'm meant to be here. That this deal, or whatever it is, is really just a cruel ploy into manipulating my son into doing something he shouldn't do. I'm saying that I've made my peace with this world already. And if Henry doesn't find Hercules' weakness, then it's ok. Please let me use this day as a gift and spend this little time I have with my family."

"Is that what you really want?" Gold said confused and pained. He came over to his son who was sitting at the couch. Neal reached out for his father's hand and grabbed it. He stood up from the couch and looked his father in the eye, conveying the seriousness of his wish, "It's what I want and it's what's right."

Gold nodded, understanding him. "Well, I'm not going to give up on you. I'm still going to do research on this. So please forgive your father for wanting to still protect you."

Neal nodded and smiled sadly, "I understand Papa."

As Gold let go of his son's hands, Belle came over and placed a loving hand on his shoulder, "Let's let Neal be with his family and talk." When Gold didn't respond, Belle looked over at Neal and offered, "If you are going to stay with us for one day, then the least we can do is have one family meal together. I'll, just um, go to the kitchen to get started. Rumple…"

Belle was cueing Gold to leave so that Neal could have a few private moments with Emma and Henry. When Rumple didn't move at her request she reasoned, "They're home. They're safe. It's going to be ok."

Gold gave one last glance at his son, to which Neal replied, "I am a bit hungry."

He then looked back at Belle and nodded, acknowledging her request. She reached for his hand which he took and they both walked to the kitchen. As soon as they entered the kitchen, Belle let go of his hand and began looking through their pantry for ideas on what to eat. He stood pensively with both hands on the counter staring at a particular spot on the stove. As Belle took notes of the items they had, she felt the need to mention to Gold a thought that had crossed her mind before Emma's life-changing text, "Before you go off to do research, I just wanted to let you know that we're going to have to eventually talk about you giving Henry magic lessons."

"What about it?"

"Like, why you never told me? I mean, I knew you and Henry were spending time together, understandably because of Neal, but I didn't know they were magic lessons."

"Yes, and?" said Gold, believing it to be no big deal.

"And… you never told me that you were teaching Henry magic and that has me concerned. All this secrecy. And then finding out that during the past seven months you've been traveling back home to practice magic… it's as if you are trying to separate me from your life of magic. And as much as you know how I don't like to use magic I'm not ignorant of its existence, especially with you. I just hope that, if you discover someday that our child is magical that you would tell me as soon as you do. Please don't keep that kind of information from me. Even if it is magic, I still want to be involved in her life as well as yours. Will you promise to include me in your lives?"

"Of course, sweetheart," he said coming closer to her. "I promise," he said, sealing the promise with a gentle kiss.

"Oh, and uh, I was wondering and have been meaning to ask you," she said opening up a cook book that was on the counter, "Will my ring work now that you used yours to bring Henry home? Otherwise we're going to have to find another place to hide your dagger."

"Your ring should still work. I just can't use mine again." He said smiling at her. She reciprocated the smile as she rubbed her belly. She returned to her book that was on the counter and resumed perusing through pages when he came up to her from behind and kissed her gently on her exposed neck.

"I'll just be downstairs reading."

"Ok."

* * *

**Hey guys! Missed ya. Can't talk much. Just wanted to let you know that I got sick with the flu this past week and it totally sucked. Couldn't even think straight let alone write creatively. But I'm slowly getting better. So no worries. Talk to ya later. See you next chapter.**


	43. Street Lights and Clean Dishes

"Storybrooke… you know that sounds awfully similar to storybook," pointed out Hercules as they were rounding onto main street. The sun was setting and dusk was quickly approaching.

"Yeah, according to Emma we're all fairy tale characters of stories from this world," said Elsa.

"While Henry was telling me about his place, he told me I was a hero from this book he was carrying around with him. I guess I… kind of belong here too," he said looking fondly over at Elsa. "…which is strange because I've never felt that way before."

He felt cold as a shiver crept up his spine. Hercules looked over at Elsa and figured she was cold too.

"Aren't you cold?" he said as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders to warm her.

"I've never had issues with the cold."

"Oh, yeah. Right, I forgot. The ice thing," he remembered, lifting his arm and retracting it smoothly to avoid an awkward moment.

"But it is quite refreshing to be comforted by someone who isn't afraid of my powers. Even if it is just for moment," she said reaching for his arm and placing it back around her shoulders again, "I'm glad that you see me first as a person and not a monster."

"I never thought once that you were a monster. And believe me, I've fought my fair share of them to know the difference," he said smiling at her. "What's that building?"

"That's… the town's tavern. The Rabbit Hole."

"Ah," he said while looking up at the street lamps. The one they were approaching was flickering on. "What are these torches? They look magical."

"They're not torches. They're called _street lights_ and from what I'm told it's not magic, they get their power from what's called _electricity_."

They both stopped walking and stood underneath one, looking up at the lamp's light. Hercules looked down and away from the light to look at Elsa who was still looking up. He couldn't help but admire the way the light made her face glow. The way she looked captured his gaze and enchanted him again, and he couldn't help but remark, "Well, I think it's magical."

She looked down from the light and suddenly found herself face to face with his kind sky-blue eyes. It was like she was in his tractor beam and she felt herself slowly drawing closer to his lips. She looked at his lips and then up at his loving eyes and before she could think of anything else, her eyes closed and their lips locked in place.

The cold he was feeling earlier completely melted away and although the sun had set, their intimate bubble felt like a warm summer day. When their lips separated, he opened his eyes slowly and discovered hers still closed; still reveling in the moment. He looked around them and chuckled.

"What's so funny?" Elsa asked softly as she slowly opened her eyes.

"Look," he said, looking all around her. A light snow fall had precipitated, which dusted the entire street with snow except the little spot of ground they were both standing in under the street lamp.

"Oh," she said smiling bashfully. She waved her hands over the snow dusted streets and in an instant the snow dissolved before their eyes. "I'm sorry… that, um… doesn't normally happen here," Elsa said trying to recover herself by pretending to act natural.

"What doesn't normally happen here?"

Right when Hercules finished his question a terrifying shriek from a foreign beast erupted at the opposite end of town. With each thunderous step, the new monster could be heard drawing closer to the town.

The door to The Rabbit Hole flew open and Robin and Regina ran out to the street. Regina spoke out loud into the darkness, "What was that?"

"That… sounds like trouble," remarked Hercules.

Regina turned to the couple. She didn't even notice that there were already people out in the streets. "I'm sorry, and who are you?" said Regina not recognizing Hercules.

"Oh, hi! I'm Hercules," said Hercules extending his hand to shake, "I was the one who helped take down the previous monster that bothered this town."

Regina looked down at Hercules' hand in disgust, "Great, another hero. What do you want? A key to the city? This town has seen its fair share of monsters before. I think we can handle this one too."

"I think a simple 'thank you' would have been sufficient," said Hercules affronted.

"Don't mind her. This is Regina, one of Henry's mothers," Elsa said, introducing Regina on her behalf.

Regina looked over at Elsa and questioned, "And speaking of one of the monsters… what are you doing here?"

"Hey!" called out Hercules, irritated and offended.

"Regina," Robin said holding Regina back, "There's no need to be harsh."

"Sorry," said Regina dryly and almost non-apologetically. "I don't suppose you have any idea who keeps bringing in these monsters."

"No," Elsa said defiantly. Anger brewed within her. She didn't like being antagonized by Regina and defended herself, "In fact, I was the other person who helped Hercules bring down the monster from earlier."

"Elsa froze her heart months ago, nearly killing Regina," said Robin reasoning with Hercules who didn't seem to take Regina's apology too well. Hercules didn't understand the source of bitterness in their interaction, so Robin felt the need to explain and briefly filled him in on Regina and Elsa's history. "Obviously she's better now and we've moved on since then, right?" said Robin looking questionably at Regina.

"Yeah," acknowledged Regina more earnestly, remembering that if it wasn't for her True Love's Kiss with Robin, she would have been dead a long time ago.

Hercules instinctively decided it best to overlook Regina's hostility for the time being, given that the current crisis took more precedence over their minor squabble. "That first monster came from my land," claimed Hercules. "And according to Henry, Hades is trying to destroy me. I'm not entirely sure why, but… I'm guessing those monsters are for me… from Hades."

Another shriek followed by the sound of falling trees threatened the town again. The heavy stomps of the beast caused the ground to tremor, shaking the light poles in the street with each step. Something moved out of the corner of Regina's eye from above one of the rooftops of the town's building. She squinted in the direction of her peripheral vision and noticed a dark figure with brilliant blue hair retreating from sight.

A plan was forming in Regina's head. They needed to move quickly. Regina waved her hands before them and a cloud of red came into view. When the cloud faded away, floodlights appeared in its stead.

"What are those?" Hercules asked curiously.

"Those are floodlights from the town's electrical engineering building," Regina replied concisely. "Robin, spread the word and tell everyone to remain indoors. Elsa, I don't know what you both did last time to protect this town from the first monster, but if you could do it again…" She saw the offended faces of Elsa and Hercules being directed by the same person who was hostile to them literally minutes ago. So she thought it best to show humility and finished her sentence, "…_please_ and… thank you."

Hercules smirked a little and replied, "There… now was that really so hard?"

Regina continued, "When you go to confront the monster you're going to need to see. Those floodlights should help, but be careful they're extremely heavy. You might need help to… bring them over…" But before Regina could complete her sentence, Hercules went over to the heavy equipment and lifted them up like tiny flashlights.

"Come on! Let's go!" called Hercules to Elsa and they both jogged over together to confront this new monster.

"What are _you_ going to do?" asked Robin. Regina looked back up at the rooftop where she saw the foreigner.

"I'm going to call Emma, she has Henry, and tell her what's happening here and to have her keep Henry safe. And then… I'm going to go check something out."

… …

Gold sat at the very end of the long table when they ate dinner. To his right sat Belle and next to her sat Henry and to Gold's left sat Neal and next to him sat Emma at the farthest end. Everyone at the table was almost done with their meals except for Emma and Gold, who were basically moving food around on their plates. Although Emma and Gold knew from their cursed lives that eating meals with family should be and is typically normal for most families, they felt that the situation they were currently in was most unusual and extremely untypical which for them, made for a very awkward and very uncomfortable meal. But because they both loved Neal, they both were able to sit there amicably. And if by pretending to be happy was all they needed to do to ensure Neal's one evening of happiness, then this one rare interaction wouldn't hurt anybody. For the majority of the meal, everyone pretty much sat in silence.

"So, when are you due?" asked Neal, breaking the silence by making small conversation. He looked at Belle from across the table expectantly, knowing that she of all people there would be willing to help him break the ice.

"In about a month or so," replied Belle smiling at Neal.

Neal looked over at his father who sat silent in his chair, pushing food slowly from one side of his plate to the other. Upon seeing that he wasn't in the talkative mood, he looked over at Belle again and asked her another question, "Do _you_ have any names picked out? I'm pretty sure my father already has a name picked out. Names are kind of his thing."

Gold's ears seemed to perk at the question and he looked up from his plate to hear Belle's response. Belle glanced briefly at her husband then back at Neal and replied, "We've… thought of some names, but um… none of them seem to speak to us, really."

"Oh," Neal politely replied as he resumed finishing his meal. Silence had fallen at the dinner table once again and the only thing that could be heard was the occasional clang or ding of silverware making contact with the china.

Belle looked over at Gold who remained quiet and still. In a hushed voice, she called to him, "Rumple." Gold looked up at Belle and noticed her eyebrows were furrowed with concern. "Say something. Your son is waiting for you to say something to him."

"What would you like me to say?" he said almost irritatedly.

"I don't know? How about, '_I have missed you'_ or '_I love you'_ or… tell him about the things he's missed in the past year."

"It's not going to matter."

"Why?" asked Emma, who was eavesdropping from the opposite end of the table. Everyone turned to look at Emma who spoke up finally, alerting everyone there of her presence. "Why doesn't it matter? Could you not find a cure or remedy to extend his life?"

"No Miss Swan. I could not," Gold said with disappointment as he tossed the napkin that was on his lap onto his plate, "Neal's existence is the result of deity magic and deities get their magic by harnessing the power of love. Love, as we all know, is the strongest magic out there and can break any curse. And gods are creatures who know how to manipulate this power. I've only used this kind of magic to my advantage on occasion, but only because I knew of the price when dealing with this level of magic. You see, the alchemy of spells and curses comes from understanding and balancing opposite forces. Deity magic is very tricky because the antithesis of love is hate and finding that balance between the two all while coming out unscathed can be very complicated. If this power isn't handled with care, it could do more harm than good. There's no telling what might happen to Neal if I personally alter Hades' magic. And I know, at least when I make a deal, there's more to it than what meets the eye. I just don't know all the details to the spell he used, otherwise I would engineer one that would yield in our favor. To put it in layman's terms… I'm stuck."

Gold stood up from the table, disgusted with his fruitless efforts and walked away to another room frustrated. He needed some more time to think more privately. Belle heaved a heavy sigh as she too threw her napkin down on the table. She began to push herself away from the table to collect the dishes when Neal beat her to the punch by collecting all the dinner dishes first.

"Neal… what are you doing? Let me get the dishes. You're our guest! Please!" exclaimed Belle.

"Look, I may be a dead man, but I'm not dead yet. You cooked for us, the least I can do is clean up afterwards. Besides, it'll keep me distracted and my hands busy," he said as he walked to greet her on the other side of the table. He gave her a quick kiss on the cheek as he praised, "Dinner was delicious. Thank you."

"Neal, you are always welcome," replied Belle with a gracious smile. "And your father really is trying. It's just painful for him to be helpless like this."

"I know," Neal admitted sadly, as he slowly piled the dinner plates on top of each other. He looked over at his son, who was sitting and listening, trying not to think of how sad their situation actually is. "Hey Henry," said Neal. At the sound of his name being called by his father, Henry looked up at him giving him a half-smile. "D'you mind helping me with the dishes?"

"Not at all," Henry said enthusiastically, brightening up his mood. He immediately got up to help his father and started collecting the leftovers transporting the pots and pans to the kitchen. Belle slowly got up from the dinner table and left the dining room in search for her husband to comfort him. Emma left her dining seat and sat down at one of the bar stools that overlooked the kitchen area. She watched as Neal and Henry found their way around the kitchen dividing up the cleaning tasks.

"I don't think I've ever seen you this happy while doing dishes," Emma observed, noticing Henry's happy disposition as he filled up one of the sinks with hot water. She looked up at Neal and stated, "And I still can't believe how incredibly calm you are about all of this."

"Emma…" Neal said with a sigh. He didn't want to argue with her. He threw the drying towel over his shoulder and faced Emma where she sat at the bar. And just when Emma thought he was about to explain himself, he asked, "Do you mind putting away the clean dishes? I honestly don't know where anything goes. Henry's washing, I'm drying, and you can put the clean dishes away."

"I don't know how I'll be of any help. I've only been in this house once and I've never even been beyond the hallway, let alone the kitchen," Emma said getting up from her stool. She rounded the corner of the counter and got closer to Neal.

"Technically, I've never been in this house before either. C'mon, let's do this together. Go with the flow. Clean some dishes with us."

"Clean some dishes… Isn't that what a dishwasher is for?" Emma said cynically pointing to the dishwasher machine.

"You're missing the point," said Neal turning to Emma who was now face to face with him.

"And what point is that?"

Without hesitation, Neal bent down and kissed Emma passionately on the lips. Emma closed her eyes and relished in the spontaneity. For those few moments, she forgot where she was and kissed Neal back. Her ears turned red and her cheeks flushed. Suddenly, she remembered Killian. She remembered that she also loves Killian. When their lips fell away from each other, she asked in a stunned whisper, "What… what was that?"

"Something I should have done before I had died. I should have kissed you. I'll never stop loving you Emma. I hope you know that, even when you find your Tallahassee without me… And now that I know what's in my future, I officially have no regrets. Besides," Neal said as he turned around to Henry who handed him a wet dish to dry, "You just exercised my point. And the point that I was trying to make… about the whole cleaning-dishes-thing, was so that you could spend time with us… with me."

"And kissing me… Was that all part of your plan?"

Neal shrugged his shoulders and smiled blithely at her. He took the towel off from his shoulder and dried the dish that was in his hand.

"_Really?_ C'mon, now that's not fair."

"To be fair, you did kiss me back," he grinned as he handed Emma a clean, dry dish to put away. Emma couldn't hide her smile any longer as it spread happily across her face. She took the dish and began opening all the cabinets, orienting herself in the foreign kitchen.


	44. Growing Up

"Rumple?" Belle called out. He didn't respond. She rounded the corner to the living room where a fire blazed intensely in the fireplace. Gold stood close to the fireplace with an arm resting on the mantle. He stared brooding into the flames, thinking of his options.

"Rumple," Belle called again softly. She leaned against the door frame to the living room and watched her husband from afar stew over the fireplace. "You know, don't you?"

"Know what?" he murmured back softly.

"Know what's going to happen to Neal. Is that why you keep distancing yourself from him? Is that what your visions keep showing you?"

"My visions, as you know, are complicated. They're all jumbled at the moment and it's not been helpful. No," Gold said decidedly, as he turned away from the fireplace, "I should go and do what I should have done as soon as Bae walked in through my door."

Gold attempted to get to the front door, but Belle placed herself in the middle of the exit to block his escape.

"Stop!" she said, placing a gentle hand at his chest to prevent him from moving any further, "I know what you are going to do. I may not have the power of foresight, but I do know you."

"And what exactly do you think I'm going to do?"

"You're going to go after Hercules yourself to finish out Henry's deal."

"Bae may not want Henry's hands to get dirty, but mine already are so I have no problem doing what I must to keep Bae here."

"Don't do it, you'll be giving Hades exactly what he wants."

"Yeah well, for once, another dealmaker has what I want. I believe we can come to an arrangement."

"Are you seriously going to challenge a god? Do you even think that's wise? According to the books I've read, gods have existed way before you even knew of magic… before magic even existed for that matter. You may have lived for a really long time, but Hades is much, much older than you. There's a reason why he still exists. And you of all people should know not to make deals without knowing the price, especially if he deals using ill-defined verbal contracts. It's dangerous."

Gold stared at her in stunned silence. She was right.

"Belle… I… I…" Gold stammered out of nervous fright, "I don't know what to do."

"I know," she said coming over to him as they fell into a comforting embrace.

"Hades is in Storybrooke," Emma said as she entered the living room. Gold and Belle parted from their hug as Henry and Neal followed after Emma into the room. As Emma found a place on the couch as she continued her explanation, "Regina just called. She said that Hades let loose another monster in town and that we should keep tight until Elsa and Hercules dispose of it. Hades needs to be stopped. Otherwise he'll just keep creating monsters to destroy Hercules, destroying this town in the process."

"How do you stop a god?" asked Belle.

"You remove his power," said Gold simply.

"How?" asked Neal.

"Deities get their power from the belief of their followers. There's only one person who sought after Hades, believing that he could bring back his father," Gold said looking at his grandson, "and you're the only one with the heart of the truest believer."

"Me?" Henry said innocently, unsure as to how he was going to save them all. "How can I stop Hades?"

"You need to stop believing in his power and his existence," said his grandfather.

"That's a lot to ask of anybody, especially a fourteen year old," said Emma defensively.

"He can do it," said Neal confidently.

"I've no doubt of it, but son," Gold said placing a hand on Neal's shoulder. Neal turned to face his father. Gold had a look of pained sadness has he said, "that means… you'll be gone as well."

Neal took his father hands within his own and held them close to his chest, "It's ok Papa. I understand. I knew it from the moment I came back that this wasn't going to be forever. I love you Papa. Don't ever forget that. And we will be reunited again. I promise. But until then, I'll just be waiting for you. This isn't goodbye. I'll just be seeing you later. Promise me one thing…"

"Anything…" Rumple said, tears forming in his eyes.

"Promise me, you'll live to raise my younger sibling as the father you were meant to be… as the man I know you are."

"I will. Baelfire, I promise. I love you," promised Rumple, kissing his son on the cheek and hugging him tightly. Rumple squeezed just a little bit harder, soaking up the seconds and pretending they were hours. Reveling in the short exchange he knew was coming quickly to a close.

"I'll be ok. I love you, Papa," said Baelfire, signaling to his father to let go of him. Rumple reluctantly took his son's cue and let go, but before he allowed Bae to go to Henry, he kissed the top of his son's hand just as he did before letting him go the last time. Baelfire turned away from Rumple and knelt down beside Henry who was sitting next to his mother on the couch. A small tear was escaping from the corner of Emma's eye as Neal approached them. "Henry… this isn't going to be easy-"

"Dad… I don't want you to go," begged Henry with tears in his eyes.

"Henry, you're going to be fine. Thanks to your mom, you are growing up beautifully and that's all any father could ever ask. And you know… it's ok to change your beliefs. Beliefs are just strings of thoughts and ideas that harden and take shape in our minds to be what we think of as the truth. And these truths are so hard to change because that means changing yourself; it means growing up and accepting new thoughts that alter your perception of the world. And this world, or any world that you find yourself in, moves and constantly changes. Just like you. We all must move on as this world does. And we all must have an open mind to accept all sorts of ideas, otherwise you'll never grow. I want you to grow and to continue growing as you have been. I want you to live and grow and find love. And if you happen to do all that, and fall in love with someday a child of your own, it'll be the greatest gift you could ever get. But… I'm hoping that part comes much later for you. Look, I know what I'm asking of you seems impossible, but I know with you… anything is possible. I do love you Henry… and as I said to your grandfather, this isn't goodbye. I'll just be seeing you later."

Henry nodded compliantly as he looked at his father. Henry sprung forward from his seat and wrapped his arms around his father. "I love you Dad," whimpered Henry.

"I love you too, Buddy."

When father and son departed from their embrace, Henry sat back down on the couch next to his mother. He gazed lovingly at his father one last time and closed his eyes. Henry thought about the words his father had said to him. He thought about ideas and the idea of growing up and moving on. In those few moments, he thought about the direction of his life. He thought about when he was happy. He thought of his fake memories of when he was in New York. He remembered his classmates and became jealous on how they didn't have to deal with these kinds of issues. He thought of how simple his life was then. He thought of how his father wanted him to find love. He needed to grow up.

Neal was kneeling beside Henry as he faded away into nothing. At the disappearance, Emma wrapped an arm around Henry's shoulders. Emma tried to comfort Henry, but it didn't stop the tear that fell out of his face onto the floor.

* * *

**Hello dearies. Happy smiley faces to OUATgirl17, BreathingintheSun and Montreat11. Thank you so much for your reviews! oxoxox  
**

**BTW, this is the saddest chapter I've ever written. I really didn't want to part with Neal, but it was necessary for Henry's overall arc in my story. This moment, I thought, was powerful in multiple ways which you'll see why in coming up chapters.  
**

**OUATgirl17: I wish I can send you PM's. I have been reading your reviews and I love them all. I hope you know this. :) And to clarify one of your concerns without giving too much away, Neal is really Neal and not Hades guised at Neal. Although that would make for another interesting twist and I applaud you for your ingenuity, the Neal you're reading is really him, at least in my story. How did Hades arrive to Storybrooke? I will explain later…**


	45. The Hydra

Regina hung up the phone with Emma and strode over to the building where she saw the lurking deity. As soon as she thought she was alone, she saw Robin Hood out of the corner of her eye striding closely beside her.

"What are you doing?" she asked him nervously.

"I should be asking you the same thing," he said defiantly.

"This could be dangerous."

"I love danger."

"I'm serious. There's a lot of magic at play here and you could get hurt. I don't want to be responsible for your injuries."

"And how do you think Henry will feel when I have to explain to him that his mother injured herself because she went up to face a deity by herself?"

"You can say that his mother was trying to do what she thought was best for him and this town."

"Now look who's starting to sound like a hero."

Regina shrugged off Robin's comment by rolling her eyes. He could see through her rough exterior that she meant well by her intentions. "Hercules mentioned that it had been Hades creating these monsters to destroy him."

"Yeah?" Robin asked, curious to find out Regina's plan. As both she and Robin approached the suspect building, she waved her hands over the locks and the door sprung open for them.

"Well, I think I saw him loitering at the top of this building," she said, holding the door open for him as they entered the darkened building together.

"And what do you intend to say or do when you confront Hades?" Robin inquired as they ascended the emergency stairway up to the rooftop.

"Confront him, convince him to take his monsters back and leave Storybrooke."

"How?"

"I… haven't exactly figured that part out yet."

Robin and Regina reached the top of the building and pushed open the emergency door giving them access to the flat rooftop. Regina and Robin stepped out into the clearing to discover nobody in sight. She looked up into the distance and could see the monster perfectly. As Elsa created her ice wall to protect the town, Hercules sliced and slashed at the monster directing its attention away from Elsa.

"You guys came just in time to see the show!" said Hades from behind Robin and Regina. The delighted deity sat in a throne he had set up for himself, snacking on hideous worms as he watched. "There's plenty of space up here, and I'm telling you… these are the best seats in the house."

"How did you get into Storybrooke?" Regina asked.

"And why are you here?" added Robin.

"Fair questions. You know," Hades said pointing a sickly-looking worm at Regina before slurping it whole, "you should probably talk to your son more."

"What does my son have to do with all of this?" Regina asked alarmed.

"Well, thanks to Henry, his belief in me gave me enough juice to cross realms on my own. You really brought him up to be a stout believer. Well done! Anyways, I am here because Wonderful Hercules is here. It turns out, no matter where he goes he's still prophesized to ruin my plans to take Mount Olympus."

"What do you want from Storybrooke?" Robin asked braving the next question.

"Look children, I couldn't care less about this place. I just want Hercules out of the equation. Now if you could step aside, you're kind of standing in the way of the performance."

"I don't know who the hell you think you are, but I want you to take your monster and leave this place immediately."

"Aww, c'mon. Really? The game hasn't even begun yet."

Regina created a fireball the size of a bowling ball and hurled it towards Hades. The fireball hit him square in the face, but was unaffected by the flames.

"Sweetie, seriously, do you not see the hair? It's literally made of flames," Hades said pointing at his flaming head.

"Get out of Storybrooke!" ordered Regina.

"Ooo!" Hades replied excitedly, surprised but not intimidated by Regina. "Aren't you the little spitfire?"

"You're not welcome here," yelled Robin, as he stood protectively between Regina and Hades.

Hades arms and hands transformed into long thick tendrils of black smoke. "What and miss out on all this fun? You see, if we're gonna keep playing like this, we're gonna miss all the good parts. So why don't we all just calm down," he said as the black smoke grabbed Robin and Regina, restricting them of movement, "have a seat," he continued, forcing their limp bodies into chairs he created from out of nowhere, "and enjoy the show."

… …

A giant thick glacier wall sprung up from the ground encompassing and protecting the town's border from the incumbent fight.

"How's that wall coming along?" shouted Hercules to Elsa. Nighttime had fallen and it was getting difficult to see in the dark.

"It's coming…" she called back.

Hercules planted the two floodlights strategically facing the woods. "How do these things work? Are they like the streetlamps? Don't they need this same _lex-trecity_?"

"Yes, hold on…" said Elsa as she finished erecting the last portion of the ice wall around the town. Another horrifying shriek emerged from the woods followed by a haunting haggard breath that could be heard getting closer to them. Elsa ran over to Hercules and fiddled with the equipment. Her hands shook nervously as she struggled to find the switch to turn it on. She felt the back of the lamp, tugging and turning at every knob until she found a promising switch. She switched the lever on and the lamp exploded with a brilliant light.

"I found it!" she exclaimed excitedly. She looked at the partnering lamp and threw out her hand, magically turning the switch on the other lamp. When both flood lights turned on, the lights revealed a serpent-like beast with four legs staring ravenously at them. The monster roared at the sudden light in its face. Elsa froze in place, stunned by fear at the terrifying sight. Unlike Elsa, the serpent beast was not stunned by the light and it reared back its dragon-like head preparing to strike.

"Elsa! Move!" called out Hercules, quickly unsheathing his sword. The beast made its daring strike towards Elsa, unhinging its jaw exposing its jagged razor sharp teeth. Ice formed at Elsa's feet and then grew outwards toward the monster. As the monster approached it began to slip on the ice, exposing its vulnerable neck. Hercules seized the moment and in one swift motion, ran onto the newly created ice, slid underneath the monster, swung his blade and decapitated the beast.

The beast's incoming body was still sliding quickly towards Elsa and she protected herself by creating an ice dome. Just as she completed her dome, the monster's body slammed into it.

"Elsa!" shouted Hercules as he ran forward to separate her from the monster collision. Hercules pulled at the monster's leg and dragged it towards him. He then placed his body in between Elsa's ice shield and with one hand pushed against the monster's severed body away from Elsa's protective dome.

Elsa peeked beyond her miniature ice sanctuary and, seeing that it was safe, stepped cautiously away from the mangled creature. "Hercules?" Elsa called after him.

"Phew! That was close," Hercules exhaled as a bunch of the monster's bodily fluid gushed out of its body onto him.

Elsa giggled a little and then gawked at his current disgusting state pitifully. "I should say so…" she said trying not to laugh while plugging her nose from the vulgar smell.

Hercules looked down at his liquid soaked body and noted, "I will admit… not my cleanest victory."

Hercules shook his body like a wet dog and rung out his hair when suddenly the monster's body twitched. Hercules turned at the sudden movement and gasped, "uh oh."

"Hercules," said Elsa with nervous hesitance, "how is that monster still moving?"

"That's no ordinary monster…" The creature shook violently on its own accord and from the open wound sprouted three heads. "…that's a hydra."

Both Elsa and Hercules slowly stepped backwards in horror as the hydra rose from the ground. After the hydra oriented itself with its new form it quickly positioned itself to attack, appearing even more threatening than it did before. The three independent heads looked this way and that searching for sudden movements when one of the heads spotted Hercules slip a little on the ice. Hercules' little movement sounded the alarm and all three heads turned towards them erupting in terrifying cries.

"Hercules, if decapitation isn't going to take this beast down, then what will?" cried out Elsa in alarm. The hydra retracted its three heads and positioned itself for another attack.

"Uh… I dunno. RUN!"

Elsa hurled sharp icicles towards the hydra's three heads, thwarting the beast's attack. Elsa's quick thinking stalled the hydra and allowed the two heroines enough time to escape. Hercules took Elsa by the hand and darted off into the woods putting as much as distance as possible between them and the creature. The hydra shook its three heads, doing its best to shake out the icicles.

After placing some safe distance between themselves and the beast, they reached the forest's border. Hercules brought Elsa around to face her and pleaded, "Elsa! I need you to keep running! Go hide in the woods while I figure out how to destroy the hydra."

"What! Are you crazy? I'm not going to leave you by yourself."

"Elsa, you have a family here. Your sister, Anna and her husband Kristoff, they both need you! I don't have family here, that's why I need to do this alone. I need to be a hero in the eyes of my family!"

The monster managed to rid itself of Elsa's icicles and headed directly toward the couple without hesitation. The hydra's giant silhouette could be seen heading toward them and with each thunderous step the ground quaked.

"There's more to being a hero than just constantly placing yourself in danger!"

"And what's that?" said Hercules, forgetting the world for a moment to listen to her pearls of wisdom. It was neither the time nor the place to be having this conversation, but Hercules didn't care. His whole life, he desperately sought out answers and ways to be reunited with his family and if Elsa was the one who had all the answers, then he could spare this one crucial moment to listen. The Hydra stampeded and got dangerously close to the couple. Hercules instinctively wrapped his arms protectively around Elsa, shielding her body by using the bulk of his muscular body to cover her. They both closed their eyes and waited for the violent impact to come, but it never did. They waited a few moments before they both opened their eyes and to their amazement, discovered that the hydra had suddenly disappeared.

… …

"WHAT THE?!... GAAAAAHHHH!" screamed Hades out of frustration from the building's rooftop. His frustration amassed so immensely that red flames exploded from the top of his head. His throne disappeared and the magical muffles and restraints that bound Robin and Regina fell away.

"What just happened?" Robin asked as both he and Regina tumbled to the ground.

"It looks like Hades somehow lost his power," Regina observed as she massaged her exposed wrists that were once cuffed from restraints. Regina looked up at the powerless deity and smirked, "but I still have mine…"

Regina stood up from where she fell and casted her hands at Hades. It was her sole intention to blow him up into smithereens but nothing happened. She threw her hands out at him again and nothing happened. "My magic," she said looking down at her hands in shock, "it's gone too!"

As he continued staring down at Elsa and Hercules, the flames of his hair cooled back to blue. He slicked his flames and calmly reasoned out loud, "Fine! Fine. If you want to get things done, you've got to do it yourself."

In a blink of an eye, Hades disappeared from the rooftop, leaving both Robin and Regina behind completely stunned and confused.

… …

"What just happened?" asked Elsa who was still holding Hercules close. She was just as confused as Hercules.

Hercules released his protective embrace and walked cautiously back toward the flood lights by the ice wall. He looked back and forth for any signs of the monster and asked out loud to himself, "Where did the monster go?"

"You!" said Hades from out of nowhere. "You just had to be all noble! You just had to be the hero! Why can't I get rid of you?"

"Hercules," said Elsa looking at Hades both fearfully and questionably "is that Hades?"

"Elsa stay away from him!" Hercules said out of alarm, "According to Henry, he's dangerous and malicious."

"And now thanks to that twerp I can't get back to my world to finish what I've started."

"Finish what?" Hercules questioned, demanding to know.

"Uh… What do you take me for, an idiot? I'm not gonna tell you," he replied nastily. Hades turned to Hercules and stealthily approached Hercules in a threatening manner, "You see, I need deity power to get back to my world, so with you being the only viable candidate around here…" Hades darted towards Hercules and grabbed him quickly by the throat. "I suppose it's fate that you would be the one to give me enough juice to get me home. And since you're not completely a god this makes extraction a lot easier."

With one hand, Hades clenched tightly onto Hercules throat. At Hades touch, Hercules was paralyzed. Hercules could feel his strength draining from his body when he heard Elsa shout, "Stop!"

"Ugh! What now?"

"You need deity power to get home… right?" Elsa reiterated back to Hades.

"Yes, yes… time is of the essence sweetie. Get to your point," Hades seethed impatiently, still holding on to Hercules' throat.

Elsa took a few moments to contemplate what she was about to do next. So she reasoned what was in her head out loud, "If two people have what the other one needs, a deal can always be struck… Let me make you a deal!"

"A _deal?!_ What could you possibly have that I want? I'm killing two birds with one stone here. I doubt you have anything that would keep me from accomplishing this."

"I have deity power," claimed Elsa, bravely. "I'm a descendent from one of the Danish gods."

"Elsa, no don't it!" strained Hercules.

Elsa ignored Hercules plights and carried on with her negotiation, "Take my powers and you can leave Storybrooke in peace. There aren't any ways to cross worlds from here. If I give you my power to go home, then you can still carry out your dastardly plans. Hercules will reside here in Storybrooke with no means to follow you and we'll both have what the other wants. You want Hercules out of your hair and we don't want you in Storybrooke anymore. I would say that's a fair deal."

The deity smoothly and quickly approached Elsa and held out his hand with a mischievous smirk on his face, "I think, little lady, that it's more than fair."

Elsa shook Hades hand and upon contact a blue glow engulfed her body and funneled through her hand into Hades. The sudden withdrawal of power crippled her and she collapsed before him. "Oh, and by the way," Hades added spitefully, "This will… kind of, sort of feel like death in the morning, that is, if you last till the morning. I doubt it though, because in order for the transference to work it takes a life. And believe me, your sacrifice will not go unappreciated. Sorry doll-face. Thanks for the fuel."

When Hades was finished extracting power from Elsa he noticed Hercules coming at him from the corner of his eye. With a simple flick of his wrist, Hades used his newly acquired power and flung Hercules into Elsa's ice wall. "I'm absolutely done with you Wonderbreath. Enjoy your new life here in Storybrooke!"

Hades waved his hand in front of him and a portal sprung open before him. The deity looked back at Hercules' pathetic form and chuckled evilly as he walked through the portal. Hercules ran forward to dive into the shrinking portal, but by the time he got close enough to it, it had sealed up along with the opportunity to fight Hades ever again. He turned and raced to be by Elsa's side. "Elsa! Wha… Why did you do that?"

He delicately lifted Elsa's body from off the ground and cradled her in his arms. "Because…" she said weakly looking up into his pleasant eyes, "heroes… sacrifice everything for the people they love. I learned that from my sister."

Elsa struggled to breathe as tears began to formulate in Hercules' eyes. "Hercules," Elsa continued with limited breath, "I lied to Hades. There is one last way to travel between worlds and defeat him."

"How?" Hercules asked with desperate sad eyes, holding Elsa's dying body in his arms.

"You mentioned earlier how you first made it into Storybrooke… Henry's pocket-watch. Find Henry… find his pocket-watch and be the hero I know you are." Her eyes fluttered and her body fell completely limp in his hands.

"Elsa!" shouted Hercules as he wept over Elsa's lifeless form. He allowed only a few tears to fall when he looked up angrily, gritting his teeth, "Hades…"

He closed his eyes and could still hear Elsa's advice echo in his head. He knew what he had to do. He needed Henry's pocket-watch. He needed to find Henry. He made up his mind. He wasn't sure how he was going to do it, but he was going to somehow go after Hades, defeat him and save Elsa.

* * *

**I know, I know. Gods can't take powers from each other. But in my story, deities are actual creatures with their own sets of rules and magical guidelines. However, if you do your research into Greek mythology, those gods have done some pretty crazy kinky stuff that's pretty unbelievable, so who knows? I just figured… meh… this is the OUAT universe, anything's possible here too. So… why not?**

**So enough about that. Obviously, it's taking me longer this go around to post up chapters and I apologize if it feels like a long time in between chapters. Lots of distractions at home. Good distractions though. Life. Family events. Parties. Friends. Being with my significant other.**

**Writing this fanfiction started out as a therapeutic exercise and I was so surprised and overwhelmed by how greatly it was received it. All thanks to you guys! So I write in my downtime, to unwind. I write when I can. If anything, I'm prolonging the inevitable… finishing this story.**

**I can't thank you guys enough. Especially OUATgirl17, BreathingintheSun, and Montreat11.**


	46. Henry's Burden

"What do you mean you don't have magic? Didn't you just use it recently?" Robin asked Regina still confused over what was happening.

"When that monster disappeared, Hades and I both lost our abilities, that can't be a coincidence," stated Regina. They descended the stairs through the fire escape of the building and made their way out onto the street towards Elsa's ice wall. As they got closer to the wall, Hercules could be seen climbing over it and down on the other side to greet them.

"Regina!" shouted Hercules towards Regina, "You're Henry's mother. I need to see Henry right away. It's important."

"Woah, woah, woah… slow down. What happened? Where's Hades?"

"Hades killed Elsa for her deity magic because he somehow lost his. He was able to open a portal to escape this world and I need Henry's traveling device to go after him."

"And then what?" Regina asked.

"I'm going to go after Elsa," Hercules replied with serious determination.

"How? You just said he killed her," Robin inquired, the confusion compounding exponentially.

"Hades deals with the dead… and I'm going to go get her back from him."

"A man on a suicide mission… great," Regina quipped, inserting her own opinion, "Well, wherever you go monsters seem to follow. So by all means, let me do the honor of kicking you out of Storybrooke."

… …

"Henry…" Gold called softly to his grandson. Henry opened his eyes and looked up at his grandfather. Both of their faces met with a mutual and solemn grief. Gold attempted to move closer to Henry, but when he did something felt different. There was something in the air that felt off, almost lackluster, and it gave him pause.

"Rumple?" Belle noticed his hesitation, looking at him with concern. She could tell from looking at him that something else was the matter; something beyond Neal's sudden absence. "Rumple, what is it?"

"Nothing," he lied. He turned looking back at Henry, turning the direction of focus from him to Henry, "Henry, are you alright?"

Without so much as a word, Henry got up from the couch and stormed out of the house. Emma, stunned by Henry's reaction, stood up more slowly and gestured her intent to follow after him. "I'll… go see if I can talk to him."

Emma wiped a few of her own tears away as she made her way to the front porch and saw Henry standing there leaning against a post. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see his mother approach him. She went ahead and leaned against the opposite post from him, mimicking his stance as they both stared off into the distance. When Henry couldn't stand the awkward silence anymore, he bluntly replied to his mother, "I don't want to talk."

"Good because I didn't want you to talk. I came out here so that I could talk to you."

Henry coolly glanced at his mother briefly, acknowledging her intentions with his reserved silence.

"I… just wanted to say that, what you did back there… was remarkable. I'm sorry Hades put you in a position to break your own heart. And I'm sorry, that as your mother and the savior, I failed to save and protect you from that pain. Your grandfather's right… I don't embrace the magic within me as I probably should. Perhaps… if you saw me demonstrate my gifts more, or if I was more receptive to magic, you would have felt comfortable enough to talk me about your abilities. I don't know. Maybe I'm wrong about that too. All I know is that I failed you Henry and I am so sorry."

Emma looked up into the darkened sky, taking the time to inhale and exhale slowly. She glimpsed over at Henry and saw that he was unmoved by her apology. She could see on his face a mixture of complex emotions; sadness, shock, anger and apathy. She tried to flatter him again, "What you did back there… changing your beliefs like that, was maturity beyond your years. You did what most adults couldn't… what _I_ couldn't."

"But you did," Henry retorted, "you grew up without believing in magic and you were saved from that pain because of what believing in magic causes. Magic is burdensome."

"Magic is a burden now?" asked Emma bewildered by his new point of view.

"Magic… makes things more complicated than they have to be. I know that now. You grew up without magic, and so can I."

"What are you saying, kid?"

"I'm saying that I should have never gone off to try and bring Dad back. I should have never pursued Magic. Magic makes things worse and has done nothing but brake up our family; my father with his, my grandfather with his father… Regina cursed my other grandparents, you were sent away by your parents through a magical tree…"

"Yes that's all true, but Henry… if it wasn't for magic, none of that would have happened and then I would have never had you. Our family isn't broken. We're all here, together in Storybrooke. Magic may have separated us, but it's also what brought us back together."

"Magic should have never separated us to begin with. I'm starting to believe that our family would be much better off without it."

A pair of lights from a car could be seen making its way quickly down the street towards them. It was Regina's car and with Regina sat Robin and Hercules. Regina quickly pulled into the driveway and parked it. Both Regina and Robin quickly got out of the car with ease, leaving Hercules to struggle with the foreign contraption.

"Henry…" Regina began to say when a loud noise of what sounded like metal crunching turned the focus of attention to Hercules.

"Oops. Uh… I'm uh, really sorry," Hercules stammered, holding on to the car door that was still in his hands. He had completely removed the passenger's car door from its hinges trying to get out of the back seat. Regina rolled her eyes out of exhausted frustration. Unsure as to what to do with the item in his hands, Hercules laid the door gently down on the ground and hurried over to Henry. As Hercules ran past Regina he could hear her murmur sarcastically under her breath, "…thanks."

"Henry," Hercules said ignoring Regina's comment, "where's that traveling device… uh… Cogsworth?"

Henry reached into his back pocket, pulled out the watch and handed it over to him without hesitation. "Here… I'm not going to need it anymore. Just tell Cogsworth where you want to go, tap the face three times with your finger and then turn the minute hand a quarter-turn to the left."

"Thank you Henry. I owe you," replied Hercules truly grateful for the gift.

"You don't owe me anything. You're relieving me of a burden."

Hercules nodded and did as instructed. He whispered a few words into the pocket-watch, tapped the face three times and moved the minute-hand. In a bright glow, Hercules was engulfed in sparkly red dust and disappeared.

Regina couldn't tear her eyes away from her son as Hercules departed. She couldn't help but notice that there was something different in Henry's demeanor, and so she asked as any concerned mother would, "Henry, what's the matter? Is everything alright?"

"I'm tired. Can we just go home, please?" he said walking past Regina and straight to her car.

"Sure… honey," replied Regina, looking questionably at her son.

"I'll wait in the car with Henry," said Robin as he followed Henry into Regina's car. Robin popped open the trunk to Regina's car and placed the severed door inside. Regina waited until they were both out of earshot when she turned to Emma and asked, "What happened?"

"Hades," said Emma as she stepped down from the porch to talk to Regina eye to eye, "made a deal with Henry and brought Neal back from the dead… his father in exchange for information on Hercules' weaknesses. If Henry didn't give Hades what he wanted then Neal's resurrection would only be for a day. Neal didn't want Henry to get hurt giving in to Hades' desires, so we stayed here to spend the little time we had together. Then you called saying that Hades brought another monster into Storybrooke, so we tried to think of how to stop Hades… and it was Gold who said that gods get their power from belief…"

"…and Hades' power came from Henry's belief in him…" Regina remarked, connecting the dots.

Emma looked confused, wondering how she came to the same conclusion, "How did you know?"

"Robin and I had a run-in with Hades. The crazy deity boasted and told us so," Regina said while shaking her head.

"Yeah," said Emma crossing her arms, "well it was Neal who convinced Henry to stop believing in his power. Hence… the reason why Neal isn't with us anymore."

"Oh, I'm… I'm sorry," Regina apologized genuinely, noticing Emma's hurt. She turned looking at Henry who was staring blankly off into the distance. She turned and faced Emma again, "I suppose that would explain how Hades lost his power causing his monster to disappear along with Neal. You don't suppose…"

Regina thought about asking Emma about her powers; about whether or not she still had them, but decided against it. She didn't want to appear weak in front of Emma.

"Do I suppose… what?" Emma asked.

"Nevermind. Good night, Swan."

Regina turned and started to walk toward her car when Emma called out, "Wait… let me fix your door!"

Emma lifted her hands and closed her eyes. When she opened her eyes again, she was surprised to see that nothing had happened and looked down at her hands in disbelief. "Wait… what the-?"

"Is your magic not working either?"

"No… I guess not. You don't have magic? Why didn't you say anything? When did this happen?"

"I didn't say anything because… I thought it was a fluke." Regina contemplated on the thought some more.

Emma's face lit up when she thought, "You don't think… Henry…"

"Maybe…"

"How?"

"I don't know…,"Regina thought, looking at Henry again. She heaved an exhausted sigh, "Look Swan, Henry... is devastated."

"… and heartbroken," Emma added.

"Yes, well there's no way we're going to discover the root cause to our magical hiccup tonight. We're all exhausted, so it will just have to wait for the morning. You have a good evening Swan."

"Yeah, you too. Sorry about your car door."

"I'll just ask one of Robin's handy-men to fix it tomorrow," Regina said exhausted as she entered the driver's side door and turned the car on. She carefully backed out of the driveway and drove slowly away.

Emma looked down at her watch and realized that it was getting late. No doubt, Killian and her parents would want to hear about her day's events in person. Emma turned to look at Gold's house. She couldn't believe that it was only a few hours ago that Neal was joking, eating, and smiling with them and that now… he was gone.

She knew she would have to tell Killian and her parents the truth eventually, but for now… all she wanted was to curl up into her bed and pretend that this was all a dream. She missed Neal incredibly and regretted not having said, 'I love you' to him more. When she opened the driver's side door to her V.W. Bug, she sat down in the driver's seat and closed the door. She readjusted the seats that once accommodated Neal's stature and realized that he was the last person to drive her car. She took out her keys and started the car. Everything about this evening and even this car reminded her of Neal. It was only then, in the privacy of her vehicle, that she was able to truly sob out the pain that she had held in all evening.

* * *

**I miss Neal too. I really do wish the writers can find a way to bring him back. I wish I can find a way to legitimately bring him back and keep him in my story, but that would be too easy. It seems too much of Rumple's happy ending. While in Neverland, Rumple even said it to his son, "You're my happy ending, because you're my redemption."**

**And then there's this underlying theme in S4 so far… "Villains don't get happy endings."Not that I think Rumple's a villain and doesn't deserve a happy ending, but I do think he has made a lot of poor choices and went about using magic in cruel and unusual ways. It's in these choices that lead many (including myself sometimes) to believe that he's very much the antagonist rather than a protagonist in OUAT's overall story arc. But that's ok, because OUAT has a very unique way of making a villain relatable.**

**Rumbelle's love isn't easy (which is why I ship this pairing over Snowing) and I think Neal's death actually deepens and cements Rumple's connection with Belle further. I mean, Rumple really doesn't have too many people that he loves or loves him left alive. Part of what I think makes Rumplestiltskin's character so rich and vivid is his dark moments and how he chooses to react and handle those abysmal situations. Witnessing human struggles in fairy tale characters is what made me love this show so much. It's so fascinating.**

**Don't get me wrong, I want to see Rumple's happy ending. I do! And I think Henry's happy ending is his entire family sitting down eating Thanksgiving dinner together. But I think _that_ makes for very convenient, very boring storytelling. I don't know… 'Happy Endings' just don't seem real to me. They feel distant. Perhaps I'm biased and feel that 'happy endings' are just too good to be true, or perhaps 'happy endings' are just the result of hope pursuing happiness and that we should accept the good that we have right now while we still have it.**

**Wow, sorry. I'm rereading this note and didn't intend to get philosophical or depressing. I'm just saying that I really do read your reviews and that while I write these author's notes at the end of each chapter, I reflect on your comments. The general consensus from these past few chapters were, "Keep Neal!" But… as I've stated before, that would be too easy, too unreal and too much like a happy ending.**

**Speaking of reviewing… thank you so much OUATgirl17, BreathingintheSun, Montreat11 and Grace5231973 for reviewing! You all are just awesome. See you next chapter.**


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